Erwerbsfähigkeitsleistungen

Erwerbsfähigkeit (ability to work) is a central concept in German social law that describes a person’s capacity to engage in gainful employment on the regular labor market. It is distinct from general physical or mental health and from the act of performing work itself; rather, it is about whether a person can obtain and perform employment given their health and functional limitations.

Legal uses: In the pension system, Erwerbsfähigkeit determines eligibility for disability or reduced earning capacity benefits. In unemployment benefits, social assistance, and rehabilitation, it helps determine entitlement and obligations such as job-seeking requirements or qualification measures. The assessment of Erwerbsfähigkeit is typically based on medical evaluations and functional assessments and can influence access to benefits, return-to-work plans, and supported employment arrangements.

Classification: Depending on the context, Erwerbsfähigkeit can be described as full, partial, or none. In some schemes it is framed in terms of the number of hours one can work per day or per week, while in others it focuses on a person’s broader capacity to perform suitable employment given their health and disabilities.

Legal framework: The concept appears in Germany’s Sozialgesetzbuch (Social Code), notably in provisions related to unemployment benefits and basic income support (SGB II) and in the statutory pension insurance framework for disability-related pensions. Procedures and thresholds can vary by agency and over time and may involve medical and functional assessments.

Rehabilitation: Assessments of Erwerbsfähigkeit inform rehabilitation planning, retraining opportunities, medical treatment, and supported employment programs intended to improve or adapt the individual’s work capacity and labor market participation.