Taking holiday while claiming unemployment benefit

I don't get lovely free money from the German arbeitswhatsit anymore, so it don'T apply to me - but whats the score with holidays whilst on the dole? Obviously you'd have to inform the arbeitsthingy, but what do they do? Cut your benefit for the time you are on holiday, or what?

A german asked me Not just us foreigners that get confused in the swath of administrative madness that is the german social system..

Anyone got any idea?

Can you cash a Giro and have you got any mandies?

i know when my ex was unemployed, he told the unemployment office he would use that time to go to spain for a language holiday, that it would help his chances to get a job. they told him, he was required to be present to appear at the employment office at any time. apparently, however, even unemployed persons are entitled to a little vacation, they just have to tell the empoyment office & get permission.

i think he still got benefits. no, he did not. that's right, he did not.

There have been court cases on this, people on the dole have the legal right to have a holiday.

If you can go away and come back without missing your signing on date you are supposed to tell but most people don't providing you can prove you were available and looking for work. If you are going to miss your signing date they are cool about it in most cases and continue to pay the money.

But it does depend on the relationship you have with the individual case officer.

WTF is a mandy? <Thinks is some kind of cheap horse transquilizer that did the rouds in 1960s London>

Mandy is slang for MDMA. A drug which was available in the late 70's and early 80's, and which was developed into Ecstacy.

Or so I'm told.

The line is a quote from the comedy production, "A fist full of Travellers' Cheques".

You had to be there to understand the reference. I'll shut up now.

Sin, great line! Nigel Planer's, wasn't it? Did you know that you can buy the entire (39 episodes) set of Comic Strip productions in a DVD box set now? Hmmm, thinking of which I might just nob off to amazon.co.uk now and put my order in.

With ref to the actual thread, yep, as long as you tell them and don't take the piss, ie disappear to Thailand for a month, they should be cool about it. Which reminds me, I must ask them nicely for some holiday in Feb and March. (Fuck I want a bloody job again)

I finally understood that line in Billericay Dicky - thanks for that, Sin

Yeah, piss off on holiday, take your mobile with you, and get someone to check your post box every other day for letters from the AA.
I know people who've been away for months on end. The AA generally gives you enough notice when they want to drag you in for a "chat", plenty of time to rearrange your flight back if need be.

You will not get benefits for the time that you are on vacation and if you don't let the arbeitsamt know that you will be on vacation, then you risk losing your benefits altogether. Your job with the arbeitsamt is to look for a job fulltime. There are exceptions like going somewhere for an interview, training, etc. The more legit is sounds, the more likely you can get away with getting a paid vacation so to speak.

if you want to look for a job in another country, they will also continue to pay you whilst you go to said country to look for said job. a friend of mine went to france as he and his wife were planning to move there and still got his money. i think they'll allow you to do this for up to 3 months. so, i want to be a beachcomber in the seychelles, see ya!

You can take up to three weeks holiday (doesn't matter where) in one calendar year while unemployed without loss of benefit, so lo long as you advise and get permission from your "Fallmanager" (Case Handler) who may also ask for some contact details where you can be contacted (e.g. your handy or email) in case an urgent job opportunity arises that they may need to discuss with you. Unlike many employed people, you can't transfer unused "holiday" from one year to another.

I do know people that have applied for, and received additional job-seeking "allowances" to travel to other places to look for work. This can even apply to foreign travel, if you can justify it (and to travel to your homeland country where you may have a better chance of finding work could qualify), but you need to be careful not to confuse or mix this with a holiday break, at least in any discussions with the Arbeitsamt. Such a trip would not be considered holiday, so is in addition to the 3 weeks you are allowed. If you go for a longer period (up to 3 months is allowed) they may want you to transfer your support to a local (even non German) unemployment office

YL6

are you very good at googling YL6 or do you just have an incredibly big and knowledgeable brain?

admires YL6's knowledge in awe

What's "googling" ?

Knocks 'em bandy, dun I treac'?

Sin mate, I love the Comic Strip films.
The best quote from Fistfull of travellers cheques is Dawn French a an Oz taveller in a VW:

If you want beer, you gotta go to Munich!

Showing me age on the Mandies. MDMA ? What's than then?

They'll also give you a few thousand euros if you decide to move to another country - nice little relocation bonus.

Oh yeah! Now I remember that great line.

Once again: "If you want beer, you gotta go to Munich" - Moderators - change the logo.

MDMA - soft poncey suvverner stuff mucker. You stick to yer norfern hardman Locker Room Animal Rush.

I want to second the opinion that YL6 makes brilliant, compelling, believable and useful comments. I've often wondered if he's an attorney or something-- a high-power consultant who shares his normally 280 Euro an hour wit and wisdom with us on TT for free.

Great going, YL6! You enrich this place and make it worth visiting (lurking!).

I called the AA to tell them that I wanted to go home (home is Mauritius!!) for 4 weeks... I would be leaving sunday in a week...
My berater has not called back yet and I am a bit worried that I will loose my money altogether... anyone experienced that ?

Funny that these very thoughts crossed my mind and I wanted to comment on it just like you two. Now YL6, why don't you reveal yourself ? (The 5 Ws and the one H, you know)