Letter from the Agentur für Arbeit (employment agency): Bescheid, Sperrzeit, Einladung

The Agentur für Arbeit pays Arbeitslosengeld (unemployment benefit) under SGB III if you previously worked in a job with compulsory insurance (versicherungspflichtig). The Jobcenter pays Grundsicherungsgeld (basic income support) under SGB II if your income is not enough to live on. Both can happen at the same time if your Arbeitslosengeld is low. Letters about Grundsicherungsgeld are explained on the Jobcenter page.

You can file a Widerspruch (objection) against decisions of the Agentur für Arbeit within one month (§ 84 Abs. 1 SGG). Send it to the Agentur that issued the decision, or have it recorded in person there (zur Niederschrift). A conversation does not replace the Widerspruch.

A decision sent by post counts as delivered on the fourth day after it was posted (§ 37 Abs. 2 SGB X). What counts is that your letter reaches the authority before the deadline ends. The date of the postmark is not enough. With an Einschreiben (registered letter) you can later prove that your letter was delivered.

Write your reply in German. German authorities work in German, so a letter in German is the safest way to make sure your reply is understood and processed. The templates (Vorlagen) on this site are in German.

If your employment is ending, you must register as a jobseeker (arbeitsuchend melden) at least three months before. If you find out at shorter notice, you have three days from when you find out (§ 38 Abs. 1 SGB III). This also applies if you go to court against your dismissal.

If you register too late, you get a Sperrzeit (benefit suspension period) of one week (§ 159 Abs. 1 Nr. 9, Abs. 6 SGB III).

Free or low-cost help is available from social associations (Sozialverbände) such as VdK or SoVD (for members). If you have little money, you can apply at the Amtsgericht (local court) for a Beratungsschein, a voucher for advice from a lawyer (Beratungshilfe under the Beratungshilfegesetz). For insured persons and benefit recipients, a Widerspruch and a court case at the Sozialgericht (social court) cost no court fees (§ 183 SGG).