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BriefDiener
DE

Agentur für Arbeit

Einladung (invitation) from the Agentur für Arbeit: what applies?

What this letter means

As long as you claim Arbeitslosengeld (unemployment benefit), you must report to the Agentur für Arbeit when asked to (§ 309 Abs. 1 SGB III). The Einladung (invitation) can be for advice, job placement or checking your entitlement, for example.

If you do not come without an important reason, a Sperrzeit (benefit suspension period) of one week follows (§ 159 Abs. 1 Nr. 8, Abs. 6 SGB III). During this time your Arbeitslosengeld is suspended and the length of your entitlement is shortened.

If you are unfit for work (arbeitsunfähig) on the day of the appointment, you do not have to come. If the Agentur has said so in the invitation, the invitation then applies to the first day on which you are fit for work again (§ 309 Abs. 3 SGB III).

What to do now

  1. 1Put the appointment in your calendar straight away.
  2. 2Get the documents mentioned ready.
  3. 3If you are ill, get a doctor to certify that you are unfit for work (Arbeitsunfähigkeit) and inform the Agentur.
  4. 4Check whether the invitation still applies on the first day you are fit for work again, and if so, go then.
  5. 5Apply for a refund of necessary travel costs (§ 309 Abs. 4 SGB III).

How you can reply

Go to the appointment

If only the day and the time of day are set, it is enough to come at a different time on the same day, as long as the purpose is achieved (§ 309 Abs. 3 SGB III).

Cancel with proof

If there is an important reason, for example a job interview. Ask for a new appointment. Write the cancellation in German.

Widerspruch (objection) against the Sperrzeit

If you receive a Sperrzeitbescheid after a missed appointment, you can object within one month. The template on this site is in German.

Template: Widerspruch gegen einen Bescheid (Jobcenter, Krankenkasse)

Common questions

What happens if I miss an appointment?

Without an important reason, your Arbeitslosengeld is suspended for one week (§ 159 Abs. 6 SGB III), and the length of your entitlement is reduced by these days (§ 148 SGB III).

Is a sick note (Krankmeldung) enough?

If you are unfit for work on the day of the appointment, you do not have to come. Get a doctor to certify that you are unfit for work and send the proof to the Agentur.

Do I get my travel costs back?

If you apply, necessary travel costs can be paid if they are not refunded by someone else (§ 309 Abs. 4 SGB III).

Sources (German law and official pages)

  1. § 309 SGB III: Allgemeine Meldepflicht
  2. § 159 SGB III: Ruhen bei Sperrzeit
  3. § 148 SGB III: Minderung der Anspruchsdauer
  4. Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Arbeitslosengeld, Anspruch, Höhe, Antrag

Research as of: 10 November 2026