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Government agency puts job seekers’ data at risk

Data protection deficiencies at the Federal Employment Agency (BA) are far more serious than previously reported, daily Frankfurter Rundschau reported on Friday.

Government agency puts job seekers' data at risk
Photo: DPA

The agency has massive problems with a computer system in use across the nation, according to letters sent to the paper by BA staff councils, who called the situation dangerous to privacy laws, the paper said.

“Major concerns for social data protection” exist, according to one letter out of Hamburg, which said data from people seeking unemployment benefits included information on their addictions, debts, family and housing problems.

The computer system containing the information, called 4-PM, has garnered serious internal criticism for weeks because it can be accessed by some 100,000 workers at BA offices across the country, the paper said.

So far abuse of the system has led to BA workers accessing data about two candidates for a television show some 10,000 times, insiders said.

“There are deficiencies and concerns from the federal data protection commissioner,” a BA spokeswoman told the paper, adding that another system, A2LL, has also garnered “objections.”

The agency is working to repair the problems, she added.

“We were first informed as the system went live,” Federal Data Protection Commissioner Peter Schaar told Frankfurter Rundschau. “I pressed for the system not to go into use because of massive data protection concerns.”

But the BA put the system into use despite Schaar’s anxieties, he said.

“Some of those responsible at the Federal Employment Agency have obviously not grasped” that data protection requires the “highest sensitivity,” he added.

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions. 

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds. 

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local. 

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with. 

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