German jobless data could be exaggeratedly high

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2005

FRANKFURT (AFP) — The Federal Labour Agency said the number of people officially registered as unemployed in Germany -- currently just under five million -- could well be exaggeratedly high, since the jobless total may include people who are not theoretically available for work.

In random spot checks conducted by the agency, around a fifth of cases revealed that the profiles of jobseekers appeared to contain "irregularities" or were implausible, labour spokesman Ulrich Waschki told AFP.

Thus, a number of people were officially registered as unemployed, but who might not actually available for full-time work, the spokesman said Wednesday.

In spot checks carried out by the labour agencies and the municipal authorities, the computer profiles of a number of...