Always wondered...

…what a reception assistant actually does?

The reception area is the beating heart of every office. Employees who work at reception are the first point of contact for our clients. Reception assistants are responsible for a wide range of varied tasks: from accepting applications and collecting data, to clarifying questions related to laws on benefits, forward issues to internal departments and managing scheduling at the location. They also need to register, process and forward mail to the back office. In order to comprehensively respond to client queries, the reception area works closely with inclusion specialists and the specialist departments.

…what assistants and clerks responsible for granting benefits do?

These employees are in charge of approving and paying benefits governed by the second book of the German Social Code (SGB II). As queries are often broad and the legal bases are complex, this task requires a high degree of concentration and knowledge of the corresponding legislation. Employees responsible for granting benefits provide our clients with competent and helpful advice in one-to-one conversations. Working with in-house inclusion specialists and our network partners, they develop solutions for the individual, often difficult living circumstances experienced by clients.

…what inclusion specialists do?

Employees who work in advisory & placement services help our clients find suitable jobs or apprenticeships and keep their positions in the long term. They provide information on available training and qualification options and help broaden horizons with suggestions for training, coaching or retraining measures. All of the advice they offer is individual and professional, backed up by knowledge gained from working closely with external partners such as educational institutions and social counselling centres. Our in-house inclusion specialists maintain a close dialogue with the benefits department and employer services.

At the Hamburg Youth Employment Agency, our employees help clients under the age of 25 enter the workforce, which involves working closely with career advisers and the youth welfare service.

….what a case manager is responsible for?

Our case managers support clients in particularly problematic situations, e.g. addictions, mental illness or debt. They work together with the person concerned to work through any issues that require action and suitable help is offered – always in consultation with the person concerned and on a voluntary basis. As every issue is personal, there’s no set plan on how to manage it. We work with external partners, who help the person concerned define and reach their goals.

…what advisory & placement specialists do in joint employer services?

Joint employer services employees provide personal, industry-specific advice to assist companies looking for workers. They create job posts, look for suitable applicants and grant employers access to financial assistance offered in accordance with SGB II and III.

They compile new job posts for publication on the applicant job board and work in partnership with employers to establish long-term staff planning. Our employees work in close cooperation with integration specialists and their clients, chambers like the Chamber of Trade or providers of professional training.

…what assistants and clerks do in the integration benefits centre (IBC)?

The integration benefits centre (IBC) is an internal service provider that primarily assists with the advisory & placement services offered by Jobcenter team.arbeit.hamburg. IBC employees also act as points of contact for employers and education institutes along with managing client queries.

The range of tasks they are responsible for is wide and varied: IBC employees need to calculate and pay support benefits. They likewise need to plan measures by preparing data, documentation and evaluations, and are involved in evaluating financial assistance measures. They work in close cooperation with employment services and our clients across all age groups along with employers, and maintain a close dialogue with employment and education providers.

…what clerks do in the legal department?

Clerks in the legal department are responsible for closely examining legal queries that arise in relation to the benefits granted under SGB II. Employees in the legal department handle any appeals along with summary and complaint proceedings on behalf of applicants and clients, and represent Jobcenter team.arbeit.hamburg before social welfare courts.

In addition, clerks are responsible for handling related income and expenses, including legal fees and court costs. Legal department employees maintain an ongoing dialogue with their colleagues who grant benefits, work in advisory & placement services and at the social welfare courts.