With receipt of an Training Voucher the Employment Agency certifies, among other things, that and which of the following expenses for further training are covered:
Training expenses
Training expenses are fees for seminars including the expenses for study aids, work clothes, specimens and the test fees for legally regulated or generally accepted intermediate or final examinations as well as expenses for necessary aptitude testing.
Travelling expenses (Fahrtkosten)
- for journeys between place of residence and educational institution (commuting),
- when external accommodation is required
- for journey to and from and
- for a monthly journey home.
1. Amount of travelling expenses for commuting
Travelling expenses are absorbed up to the amount arising from using a regularly travelling public means of transportation of the lowest class of the most convenient public means of transportation. When using other means of transportation, a mileage allowance in accordance with Section 5 Subsection 1 of the Federal Law on Travelling Expenses (Bundesreisekostengesetz) is paid, which is 0.20 € per driven kilometre, the maximum amount per day is 130 €. Per month a maximum amount of 476 € is paid.
2. Amount of travelling expenses to and from as well as a monthly journey home
For the journey to and from necessary external boarding as well as for a monthly journey home, the actually arising expenses are absorbed when public means of transportation are used. When using other motorised means of transportation for the journey to and from as well as a monthly journey home, a mileage allowance of 0.20 € per driven kilometre between your place of residence and the place of further education is paid. For the journey to and from and the monthly journey home using other motorised means of transportation, a maximum amount of 130 € is paid.
The shortest route is used to determine the distance.
Expenses for external accommodation and board
Expenses for accommodation and board are absorbed if you are staying away due to further education and this is required for the purpose of the Employment Promotion (Arbeitsförderung).
1. External accommodation
exists if the further education measure does not take place at your place of residence and you move into accommodation at the place of the further training measure while keeping your usual accommodation;
is required if it cannot be expected from you to commute between your place of residence and the place of the further training measure.
2. Amount of expenses
for accommodation 31 € per day, but at the most 340 € per calendar month, for board 18 € per day, but at the most 136 € per calendar month.
Expenses for child care (Kinderbetreuungskosten)
Expenses arising during the participation in further education measures, for the care of children needing supervision, can be granted by the Employment Agency.
Children not older than 15 years of age are in need of supervision for the purpose of Employment Promotion (Arbeitsförderung).
Expenses for childcare for the purpose of Employment Promotion are
- fees for kindergarten / nursery,
- expenses for a nanny,
- additional expenses for supervision by neighbours or relatives.
Subsistence costs are no expenses for childcare.
The Employment Agency absorbs expenses of 130 € per month and child irrespective of the actual amount of expenses arising
Services for livelihood
Moreover, unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) can be paid for the time of the subsided further training. The regulations for unemployment benefit apply without change also during further training.
The period of entitlement to unemployment benefit is only reduced by one day for every two days of receipt of unemployment benefit during the subsidised further training. The period of entitlement is not reduced if only 30 days or less remain at the beginning of the further training. If a period of entitlement of 30 days is reached during further training, the period of entitlement is not reduced. Thus, it is secured that at the end of the further training and in case of continuing unemployment, you can still claim for at least 30 more days of unemployment benefit - if you were only entitled to less than 30 days of unemployment benefit at the beginning of the further training you can claim for this period at the most.
Training Voucher (Bildungsgutschein)
Basic information
The training voucher contains among other things information on the education aim, the duration required until reaching this education aim, the regional scope and the validity of no more than three months in which the training voucher must be redeemed. On the conditions defined on the training voucher, the person interested in education can redeem the training voucher at an institution approved for supported further education of his/her choice. But also the measure must be approved for supported further education.
Requirements
The participation must be necessary for the professional integration of unemployed persons, to avert concretely threatening unemployment or because the necessity of further education is approved due to lack of training qualification.
The determination of necessity of further training also considers labour market conditions. This means that the Employment Agency must decide whether e.g. unemployment could be terminated also without further education, whether other instruments of labour market policies are more promising and whether integration in the labour market can be expected with sufficient probability with the aspired education aim.
Applicants must usually have completed vocational training or have been in gainful employment for three years. Before the beginning of further education, counselling by the Employment Agency must have been effected.
The training voucher certifies that the employee meets the requirements. The training voucher is an assurance that the costs of participation in further education measures will be absorbed.
Redemption of the training voucher
The owner of the training voucher must start with the measure within its validity period, otherwise the voucher will expire. If the applicant e.g. did not find a suitable further education measure within the validity period, a new voucher might be handed out where applicable.
The participant can redeem the training voucher within its validity period for the participation in an approved measure with an education aim corresponding to the training voucher. As proof of the admission of a further education measure, the respective institution can present certification of an expert authority. The approval must be valid at the time of entry in further training. The education institution selected by the participant confirms on the training voucher (copy for the institution) the admission to the approved measure and presents the training voucher to the issuing Employment Agency before the beginning of the measure.
What do you have to consider?
Upon receipt of the training voucher, the Employment Agency evaluates whether the selected measure corresponds with the conditions of the training voucher. If it does not, the participation is in question; in exceptional cases, minor deviations, e.g. in content, can be approved retroactively. The redemption of the training voucher is also in question if a person interested in further education has been admitted to the further education measure although he/she does not fulfil the requirements for admission and successful completion cannot be expected. The voucher expires if the education institution does not present it to the competent Employment Agency before the beginning of the measure.
In order to have the benefit granted as soon as possible, please file the forms given to you by the Employment Agency in sufficient time before the beginning of the measure with the Employment Agency.
Further information can be obtained from bulletin 6 "Promotion of further training" (German only).
The information given above is also valid for the issuing of training vouchers to employable persons needing assistance, who receive benefits in accordance with the German Social Code book two (SGB II).