Administrative services A-Z

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: No
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: Yes

You can apply for benefits for participation in working life if, due to your (impending) disability(ies), you need support in finding training or work or in securing your training or job because

• your prospects of participating or re-participating in working life are significantly reduced, not only temporarily, due to the nature or severity of the (impending) disability(ies), or
• You are threatened with a disability with the same occupational consequences.

If you are eligible for support, the general benefits of the Employment Agency are available to you first:

• Placement budget
• Measures for activation and professional integration
• Vocational preparation measures
• Vocational training in extra-company facilities (BaE)
• Assisted training (AsA)
• Training-accompanying assistance
• Vocational further training support
• Start-up subsidy

If the general benefits are not sufficient to cover your support needs, you can receive the following special or supplementary supports:

• rehabilitation-specific vocational preparation training measures
• disability-specific basic training
• rehabilitation-specific training measures
• rehabilitation-specific continuing education measures
• Individual in-company qualification within the framework of supported employment
• Initial training and vocational training in workshops for people with disabilities or with other service providers
• Budget for training
• Placement support or vocational guidance by integration specialist services
• Individual case support such as technical work aids, aids, work assistance
• Other assistance, support for participation

What comes into question for you depends, among other things,

• which of the respective services is most suitable for you and your individual situation in order to
  • improving your chances of successfully finding vocational training or a job, or
  • to secure your existing training relationship or employment relationship,
• what personal inclinations you have and how you can use them in your professional life,
• which activities you would like to do and are able to do
• how the training and job market is currently developing and
• whether you meet the respective eligibility requirements.

In order to be eligible for benefits, you must submit an application for participation benefits in advance. You can submit this application to your advisor at the relevant employment agency or to your mediator at the job center. After receipt of the complete application documents, your application will be reviewed. Together with you, we will then discuss the further course of action and select the support options that are suitable for your situation. In doing so, we take your abilities, interests and inclinations into account.

After vocational rehab, we will also help you find a suitable training position or job. Our goal is to enable you to participate in working life on a permanent basis. Your health impairment or (impending) disability should have as little effect as possible on your training or work.

In order for you to receive benefits for participation in working life from the Employment Agency, the following general requirements must be met:

• You have a (threatening) disability.
• The Federal Employment Agency is your responsible rehabilitation provider.
• Your prospects of participating or re-participating in working life are not only temporarily significantly reduced due to the nature or severity of your disability.
  • Or: You are threatened by a disability with the same occupational consequences.
• You must contact your employment agency about a grant or reimbursement of costs before expenses are incurred or expenditures are made.

In addition, you may need to meet other requirements for the eligible grant(s).

Please discuss with your advisor at the employment agency or your mediator at the job center which documents you need to include with your application for participation benefits.

In order to apply for benefits for participation in working life, you must contact your employment agency or your responsible job center:

• Make an appointment with your responsible advisor at the employment agency or with your mediator at the job center. Alternatively, this can also be the Vocational Rehabilitation and Participation Team at the relevant Employment Agency.
• If you do not yet have a personal contact person, please make an appointment by calling the free service number.
• If it is determined during the consultation that benefits for participation in working life are an option for you, the next steps will be discussed with you and the application will be made available either by printout or online. Your counselor or mediator will also discuss with you the necessary documents to be added to the application.
• You submit the application and any necessary accompanying documents.
• The Employment Agency will check whether it is responsible for the benefits for participation in working life or whether another rehabilitation provider is responsible. In this case, the application will be forwarded.
• The Employment Agency will also check whether you are eligible for other benefits for participation in working life and will involve the rehabilitation provider responsible for this.
• The responsible rehabilitation provider will discuss the further procedure with you and determine your individual rehabilitation needs together with you. If necessary, this will be done with the involvement of other rehabilitation providers.
• For this purpose, existing documents on your (impending) health impairments will be evaluated and, if necessary, other specialized services will be consulted.
• Depending on your specific rehabilitation needs, a decision will then be made together with you as to which specific service or support should be considered for you.

The application for benefits for participation must be submitted before the event giving rise to the benefit occurs.

• § Section 9 of the Ninth Book of the German Social Code (SGB IX)
• §§ Sections 12 to 29 of the Ninth Book of the German Social Code (SGB IX)
• §§ Sections 49 to 74 of the Ninth Book of the German Social Code (SGB IX)
• § Section 19 of the Third Book of the German Social Code (SGB III)
• §§ Sections 112 to 128 of the Third Book of the German Social Code (SGB III)

• Technical directives of the Federal Employment Agency on benefits for participation in working life in accordance with SGB IX
• Technical directives of the Federal Employment Agency on benefits for participation in working life in accordance with SGB III
• Fact sheet from the Federal Employment Agency on promoting participation in working life for employees
• Vocational rehabilitation website of the Federal Employment Agency
• Jobcenter website on the subject of support for health problems, including the possibility of vocational rehabilitation

Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS)