Germany low-paid part-time workers, unadjusted
Germany low-paid part-time workers, unadjusted stood at 4,086,400 Number in Jul 2026, according to Deutsche Bundesbank, Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) and Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit. It is one of the indicators in the Labour market (monthly) table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2000 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour market (monthly) table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons according to ESA 2010, Domestic concept, Absolute value | 45,582 | 45,655 | 45,710 | 45,703 | 45,650 | 45,572 | 45,501 | 45,501 | 45,900 | 46,052 | |
| Persons working exclusively in low-paid part-time jobs, Total, Absolute value | 4,086,400 | 4,087,200 | 4,065,400 | 4,044,500 | 4,030,789 | 4,013,943 | 4,019,015 | 4,073,170 | 4,080,473 | ||
| Employees subject to social security contributions, Total, Absolute value | 34,677,400 | 34,816,000 | 34,841,900 | 34,844,000 | 34,825,934 | 34,761,618 | 34,759,765 | 34,985,555 | 35,190,714 |
Understanding germany low-paid part-time workers, unadjusted
This metric captures individuals operating at the margins of the formal labor market, tracking those whose sole employment falls under the specific statutory earnings limit for minor jobs. It isolates people holding "mini-jobs" who are exempt from paying standard employee social security contributions and do not simultaneously hold a primary, fully contributory position. By focusing strictly on those for whom this is their exclusive formal occupation, the indicator distinguishes itself from the regular employee series. It excludes anyone holding a low-paid part-time role as a secondary source of income alongside a primary job, ensuring the absolute value reflects only those reliant entirely on this specific form of marginal employment.
The unadjusted numbers exhibit distinct volatility linked to the retail and hospitality seasons, often showing temporary surges during the winter holiday trading period or the summer tourism months. Year-on-year analysis is vital for smoothing out these predictable retail and hospitality cycles to understand the true structural reliance on marginal labor. Structural breaks frequently occur in this dataset due to legislative adjustments to the statutory earnings cap; when the maximum monthly income allowed for a minor job is raised by policymakers, a sudden influx of workers might be reclassified into this category overnight. Moreover, comparing this absolute number to the total employment figure helps analysts gauge the prevalence of precarious work arrangements versus standard contracts.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this series count individuals with a full-time job who take on a secondary minor job?
- No, the metric is strictly limited to individuals working exclusively in low-paid part-time roles, entirely excluding those who hold it as a secondary gig.
- Are students and pensioners included in this absolute value?
- Yes, provided their only formal employment qualifies as a low-paid part-time job, students, pensioners, and other demographics are all captured in the aggregate.
- How do government adjustments to the earning limits alter the time series?
- Raising the legal earnings cap instantly broadens the eligibility criteria, potentially causing a statistical leap in the numbers that reflects a definition change rather than sudden hiring.