Alternativen zu Mini- und Midijobs? Die Beispiele Frankreich und Vereinigtes Königreich

The introduction of the so called mini-jobs in 2003 had several objectives: to reduce the gap between marginal employment and standard employment, to establish transitions into standard employment, and to reduce illicit work by making mini-jobs attractive for workers. However, despite the fact that the number of mini-jobs has increased significantly, it does not seem that the objectives of the reform have been reached. The aim of this article is to take a closer look at similar instruments in the United Kingdom and in France. Both countries have wage subsidies, but in contrast to Germany they are part of the countries’ tax system and are linked to minimum wages. Furthermore, wage subsidies in both countries are targeted towards jobs with either working hours or working income above a certain threshold. The presented analysis finds some evidence that this combination of instruments is more effective with respect to the bridging function into standard employment than is the mini-job in Germany.