Entitlement to unemployment benefit I

No bridging allowance can be paid, if an entitlement to unemployment benefits exists or unemployment benefit I is not paid because it has not been applied for, no registration as unemployed has been made or an entitlement to sickness benefits instead of unemployment benefit I exists.

Availability for the labour market

Entitlement to unemployment benefits is lost, if the unemployed person does not avail himself of all opportunities for vocational integration or does not fully cooperate in placement attempts of the employment agency. Availability of the unemployed person must neither be restricted with regard to the kind of employment nor to its duration. Seafarers’ availability is however not regarded as being restricted, if their continuation of sea service is no longer reasonable. This can be caused by health problems, but also by private circumstances such as marriage, marital crisis or difficulties in child raising. It is therefore important to point out such reasons when applying for unemployment benefit I.

The application for employment at the responsible employment agency must be periodically renewed at intervals not exceeding three months, either in person, in writing or by phone.

Stay abroad

If an entitlement for unemployment benefit I exists, it can be drawn up to three months in another member state of the European Union, of the European Economic Area (EEA) or in Switzerland for job seeking purposes (transfer of entitlement). Drawing of such benefit requires proof of entitlement to the responsible unemployment agency abroad by means of form E303. This form has to be applied for at the responsible German employment agency before going abroad.

Reliable information in this regard is available only at the responsible employment agency.

Member states of the European Union and of the European Economic Area

Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Principality of Liechtenstein, Greece, United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Italia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Hungary, Cyprus.

The same provisions with regard to unemployment benefit I have also been agreed with Switzerland.

Duration and amount of unemployment benefit

As long as an entitlement to unemployment benefit I exists it has to be fully realized. Therefore, the responsible employment agency should be contacted first, especially as unemployment benefit I is normally higher than the bridging allowance. As employment ashore is no obstacle to payment of a bridging allowance there is no reason to quit or to reject an offer for such employment.

Unemployment benefit I put on hold / periods of exclusion

The entitlement to unemployment benefit I is put on hold, if the previous employment was quit by the employee. During such period of exclusion a bridging allowance is paid by the social insurance for seafarers. The entitlement to unemployment benefit I is also put on hold, if the previous employment ended prior to the agreed period of notice with payment of compensation. A bridging allowance is paid for this period of exclusion, if the relevant confirmation by the unemployment agency is submitted.

No bridging allowance is paid during periods of exclusion imposed due to other reasons, e.g. delayed registering as unemployed, payment of wages beyond the duration of the employment or compensation for leave (payment for unclaimed holidays). In the last two cases the date of retirement from sea service is marked by the end of payment of wages or of the unclaimed holidays.