Information and help

User instructions for the Internet portal of the Federal Employment Agency

Browser compatibility

When using different browsers for the Internet and due to different software settings, deviations in the representation of the data may occur.

Our websites are optimised for the Browser

  • Mozilla Firefox 48+
  • Safari 9, 10
  • Google Chrome 53+
  • Edge Chromium

Other browsers that support Cascading Style Sheets CSS3 and HTML5 should not experience display issues.

Older browser versions are basically usable, but there may be graphical differences in the display of fonts and styles and limitations on selected functions. We ask for your understanding.

Presentation on different devices

In order to ensure the best possible presentation for our users, our pages have been optimised for the following output media and resolutions:

  • Smartphone (width 320px)
  • Tablet (width 768px)
  • Monitor 15 inches (width 1024px)
  • Monitor 17/19 inches (width 1280px)
  • Widescreen monitor (width greater than or equal to 1440px)

Depending on the terminal used, the representation of the respective page areas (tables, images, columns, navigation, etc.) may vary.

Presentation size and font

To change the display size in your browser, hold down the "Ctrl" key and move the scroll wheel on the mouse or hold down the "Ctrl" key and use the "plus" key to zoom in or the "minus" key to zoom out. As a result, all page elements (including the fonts) are adjusted in size according to your wishes.

An alternative way to change only the font size using the settings that are specifically customisable for each browser is not offered. Further explanation can be found in the help of your browser.

Many operating systems offer improved font rendering through so-called antialiasing of the characters.

For example, to enable anti-aliasing of fonts in Windows, you can go to Control Panel> Display> Appearance> Effects> Cleartype Textual Display. For Mac OS X, Edge smoothing is the default. Please refer to the corresponding manuals for the system-wide setting for other operating systems.

Additional help

In addition to this help page with general information, additional information and explanations are provided on each page of the Federal Employment Agency in accordance with the respective content

  • used controls
  • Input assistance
  • general functions
  • Expected content                                                                                                        

in the form of

  • an icon that opens a textbox with special hints and help for that component.
  • Tooltips that are displayed when moving the mouse over the respective page element
  • Defined note boxes that are displayed depending on certain system events/situations
  • complete note or error pages in a separate window

Accessibility

The websites of the Federal Employment Agency comply with the guidelines of the Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance (BITV). For information on the screen readers supported by your device, their configuration, and operating conditions, please refer to the help pages of your operating system. Our online services are currently being tested with the JAWS screen reader. More information concerning the compatibility with the BITV can be found in our accessibility statement.

Hearing impaired people who want to use the German Sign Language will receive a visual introduction to the use and orientation of the Federal Employment Agency's website in the form of a video via the link "Sign Language" in the Service Navigation. When using older browsers, you may need to have Adobe Flash Player installed on your PC to play the videos.

In addition, we also offer an overview of our Internet services in a simple language.

Display and download of PDF files

To open the PDF documents available for download on our website, you need a PDF reader. Adobe Acrobat Reader is available for free at http://www.adobe.com/

Unfortunately, interactive forms are not supported by all PDF viewers and browser plugins. We, therefore, recommend installing the latest version of the free Acrobat Reader. Help for Linux users is available at https://code-industry.net/free-pdf-editor/.

Search and search tips

For specific information about search results pages, possible filters, or some tips for using the search, see Search Help

Video files

Videos can be played in different formats. Depending on the browser you are using, these videos will be played back directly or via an embedded player (.flv, .wmv, .mpeg2). New video offers are provided exclusively in the format. mp4 and. WebM. If you are using older browsers, you may need to have Adobe Flash Player installed on your PC to play the videos.

You can use the corresponding browser/player button to show or hide existing subtitles.