Berlin Court Slams Job Center's 'Trick' in Citizen's Allowance Delay
A 67-year-old woman from Berlin has been left in limbo for months, awaiting a decision on her citizen's allowance extension from her local job center. This case has highlighted a growing issue of job centers failing to process applications within legal deadlines, leading to inactivity lawsuits.
The Higher Social Court of Berlin-Brandenburg recently ruled that merely forwarding a decision to the court does not constitute valid notification. This means that the job center's action of sending the woman's decision to the social court, instead of to her directly, was insufficient. The court clarified that such a 'trick' has no legal effect.
Job centers across Germany are increasingly facing disputes over citizen's allowance, with applicants often left frustrated by calculation mistakes and delayed decisions. In Berlin alone, over 219,000 people were registered as unemployed in July 2025, highlighting the strain on these services.
The woman in this case retains her right to legal protection until she receives her decision in an orderly manner. The Higher Social Court's ruling serves as a reminder to job centers of their duty to notify applicants directly. As citizen's allowance supports people in financial distress, timely and accurate processing of applications is crucial.
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