or When public services agents “misunderstand” their roles.
How can I begin to explain my exasperation with the German social services system? It is deplorable to see that in times of crisis so many of us are automatically left out in the cold, it is even worst to realize that some state institution with aberrant and obsolete methods wears the badge of honor of being The Agent of misery.
When the first confinement was announced, I was fired from my job as a Bartender. As required by protocol, I had to register with the “Agentur für Arbeit” in order to receive my unemployment indemnities. Task which I completed within two days after the first Coronavirus Lockdown.
The system of registration for unemployment is unnecessarily tedious. First you have to inform the “Agentur für Arbeit” that you are unemployed, then immediately register with the “jobcenter”, show clean hands proving a thousand times that you are unemployed and actively looking for a job before receiving any allowances.
The Crisis helping -not really- thanks to the “Hartz” system, the “jobcenter” had to cover basic needs of registered people by compensating the loss of income imposed with this extraordinary situation i.e Coronavirus Lockdown.
Dependence on the “Hartz IV” is not synonymous of a luxurious life as you can imagine. It has more to do with a certain precariousness in the name of the right to a “dignified subsistence minimum” guaranteed by the Basic Law.
Once the process was set in motion, I spent months of having absurd conversations with agents who were not fully aware of the procedures to follow, who did not give me the impression to fairly assess the gravity of the situation.
The problem with the “jobcenter” is: The fear of parasites! The fear of infiltrated leeches taking advantage of the system is inherent to the nature of this institution, to the point that the agents would intentionally make your life a living hell before you even get any proper guidance for an eventual social support or integration. Even during this major crisis.
The requested information to complete an application varies according to the time of day, the day, or even the person you contact. They also have implausible names in order to confuse everyone, especially your informer.
As clear as the whole world stopped, I couldn’t work nor earn a salary hence my approach. To me, they did not seemed to be invested in their mission of social workers or public agents : They are responsible for a certain social cohesion i.e inform and guide the public,and they fail at the very first step. Nobody enjoys doing any kind of administrative procedures. I’ve been put to the test, and finally, I understand why.
Months of empty back and forth. With each new agent, a new “missing” document, that I’ve never heard of before, or that they never received. Probably because of the post. Or maybe, it was the person who collects the mail at the Agency, who might have trashed the file that I personally dropped in their letter box. Could even be the one person in charge of deleting the emails… You get the picture ! Having no other choices, you execute yourself. Once, twice, and again, and again…
We are talking about a state Institution, in Berlin, Germany. This is Absurd!
When I explained the situation to my native friends about my setbacks, the first thing they all thought was that my skills in German facing the Administration could probably work to my disadvantage. Each time, I smiled politely. I Offered them to contact the “Jobcenter” for me, which they did, each time they broke out of rage facing the ridiculous Circus show provided at the taxpayer’s expense.
Little did we knew, the matter of the problem, is simply due to the lack of concern of these so called social-workers.
What dignity is there in begging social workers to give you the correct information you need to apply for help and make up for your loss?
What dignity is there in depending on those who have no intentions of helping you?
What dignity is there to be excluded under false pretenses?
A friend of mine told me that he couldn’t understand nor relate to my situation because he has never had any trouble with them. Thank God for him. But, I am not a single case here!
Apparently the Agency on which my area depends has the reputation of rejecting and making a living nightmare of one’s administrative procedures if unlucky, but particularly if you are a foreigner. Some friends went through the same ridiculous mind-games, and gave up long before I even consider this option. Thank God, I’ve had support from Family and Friends, so I’m not to blame, but what if I was alone?
What became of those who lost everything the day, they lost their “jobs” and have been through the same frustrating, humiliating experience?
It’s already hard enough to make a living, not being treated as a human being by the public services agents is degrading.What is the point of being a social worker, when you have no regards for other human beings? What is the point of being in the field of public services, when you see the people that you are supposed to help as parasites?
Why is it that given a bit of power, people would rather use it to make others miserable instead of just being fair and treat people with decency and correctness?
“It’s Germany here! In Germany, you have to respect the rules” I heard this comment so many times that I can’t even count. What do you do when you have no other choice but to turn to the state for survival, only to be faced with an institution that has no consideration neither for the rules nor for your basic rights?
Some public workers can’t even evaluate how much their misunderstanding of their role deeply impact Lives of others. You would think that being secure in their jobs would birth into people’s mind the will to be fair, helpful, effective in their duty to serve citizens; those who contribute by paying taxes to keep them safe.
Safe enough for them to turn into agents of distress and poverty.
Clichés have a hard times: Germans have the reputation to be disciplined workers with an exacerbated penchant of respect for rules. Well, my friends, once again you have outdone yourselves in this area, your social workers have been promoted to the rank of most efficient demotivating agents, determinate to sabotage Lives when they’ve only been ask to do nothing but their work. It is a pretty dangerous guideline or statement, dare I say, for a state institution to have; pushing people to their limits, especially in these difficult times!
Winter is already the season when everything slows down, the days are cold and shorter, people are a little bit depressed, waiting for the return of warmer days. If we add to that melancholic time ; the current context; deprived of incomes, social interactions or Family gathering…
I worry about lonely souls. Don’t let yourself drown. Do me a favor, take care of yourself, reach out to your family or to your friends, check on your neighbors…
Sometimes just asking how someone is doing can make a difference.
