All persons aged at least 15 who have their residence in the Federal Republic of Germany (national concept) and who exercise or seek an activity directly or indirectly geared towards earning money (dependent employees, self-employed, family workers), irrespective of the importance of the income from this occupation for their livelihood and not considering the working time actually performed or to be contractually performed (concept of gainful employment). The labour force is comprised of employed and unemployed persons.
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15. January 2026 | Labour Market Policy
Minimum wage and job reallocation: The hidden role of financial constraints
The introduction of Germany’s minimum wage in 2015 did not cause substantial changes to overall employment; rather, it triggered large shifts in the composition and allocation of types of ...read more
9. December 2025 | Labour Market Policy
Investment tax incentives can boost employment
When firms face lower investment costs, it not only encourages them to purchase new machinery and equipment but also helps secure and create jobs. An analysis of the German investment tax credit ...read more
28. October 2025 | Interviews
A Basic Income: simple idea, complex reality
Basic income is a simple idea on paper with regular, unconditional cash for everyone, but implementing it is anything but simple. In this interview, Professor David Green discusses findings from a ...read more
