The Hessian job market is crisis-proof. Unemployment at the beginning of the training year fell to a lesser extent than is usual seasonally. But there are still thousands of jobs to be had.
Frankfurt/Main (dpa/lhe) – The situation on the Hessian labor market has stabilized again after three months with rising unemployment figures. The job centers counted 171,161 women and men without a job as of September 12, according to the Hesse regional office of the Federal Employment Agency (BA) on Friday in Frankfurt. That was 4,797 fewer than in August of the current year, but 2,866 more than a year earlier. The unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 5.0 percent within a month. In September 2021, the rate was 4.9 percent.
“The effects of the war in Ukraine are dampening the positive development of the Hessian labor market in recent months. Economic burdens from declining exports, supply chain disruptions and energy price increases are increasingly causing problems for many companies and private individuals,” said Frank Martin, head of the department. “The fact that the number of unemployed people remains largely constant can be explained by the high demand for skilled workers: companies want to keep their employees.”
The unemployment rate usually falls more significantly in September because many young people start training. Unemployment among those under the age of 25 fell the most significantly, at minus 9.4 percent compared to the previous month. At the same time, the registration of refugees from Ukraine ensured that the number of unemployed without a German passport rose by 19.8 percent in September 2022.
Because the economic prospects have clouded over, many companies are currently reluctant to hire new staff, according to the regional directorate. Nevertheless, the Hessian employment agencies continue to list around 55,000 vacancies. According to the Association of Hessian Entrepreneurs’ Associations (VhU), around 120,000 workers are currently being sought in Hesse, including the positions not registered with the employment agencies.
In order to secure the need for skilled workers, early retirement without deductions at the age of 65 or earlier must be abolished, the VhU demanded. “In the last 20 years, the number of employees between 60 and 64 has quadrupled throughout Hesse. We owe this not only to improved health and a functioning occupational safety system, but also to new and flexible forms of work,” explained VhU Managing Director Dirk Pollert. The working life must also be based on this.
