Areas of Law

Social Law

What I can help you with

Often it is about an urgent application to the court (Eilantrag), because the Jobcenter or the Sozialamt (social welfare office) has not yet decided on your application, but you urgently need the benefit. Just as often it is about an objection (Widerspruch) against a reduction, a sanction or income that was counted incorrectly.

My areas of practice in social law:

Grundsicherung
Arbeitslosengeld
Krankenversicherung

What can I help you with?

You can come to me if

the Jobcenter …

… does not decide on your application quickly enough and you are in an emergency
… rejects your application for Grundsicherungsgeld (basic income support, formerly “Bürgergeld”) in full or in part
… reduces or sanctions your benefits (for example because of a missed appointment or an alleged breach of duty)
… counts your income or assets against your benefits incorrectly
… does not pay the full costs of your housing and heating
… demands that you pay back benefits that were allegedly overpaid
… rejects benefits for education and participation (Bildung und Teilhabe) for your children
… wrongly classes you or your family as a “Bedarfsgemeinschaft” (joint household for benefit purposes) with another person
… rejects your objection (Widerspruch) or does not deal with it at all
… threatens to withdraw your benefits because you refused a job or a training programme (Maßnahme)

the Agentur für Arbeit (employment office) …

… rejects your application for Arbeitslosengeld I (unemployment benefit)
… imposes a blocking period (Sperrzeit), for example because you resigned from your job or refused a job
… calculates the duration or the amount of your Arbeitslosengeld incorrectly
… wrongly counts a severance payment or additional income against your benefit
… suspends your entitlement (for example because of a payment for unused holiday)

the Versorgungsamt (disability office) …

… sets your degree of disability (Grad der Behinderung, GdB) too low or rejects the application
… does not recognise a disability mark (Merkzeichen) that you applied for (for example “G”, “aG”, “H”)

your statutory health insurance fund (Krankenkasse) …

… refuses a necessary treatment, a medical aid or a rehabilitation measure
… stops or refuses the payment of Krankengeld (sickness benefit)
… wrongly changes your type of insurance (for example family insurance or voluntary insurance)
… calculates your contribution incorrectly

the Sozialamt (social welfare office) …

… does not decide on your application quickly enough and you are in an emergency
… rejects your application for Grundsicherung im Alter oder bei Erwerbsminderung (basic income support in old age or with reduced earning capacity)
… reduces your benefits or calculates them incorrectly
… does not provide benefits under the AsylbLG

What it costs

I charge my fees under the Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetz (RVG, the German law on lawyers‘ fees). In every case, I check whether legal aid for court proceedings (Prozesskostenhilfe) is an option. If a court action or a legal remedy is successful, the authority usually pays the costs.