"I understand that the federal government does not want to reopen the painstakingly negotiated overall pension reform package agreed upon by the Pension Commission. Nevertheless, it should extend the exemption for school students in relation to mini-jobs to university students as well, since this, too, concerns part-time employment during a short and clearly defined phase of life. Such a minimally invasive adjustment to the overall package would not jeopardize the stability of the pension compromise.
It is not known how many of the 63% of students who work alongside their studies are employed in mini-jobs. However, we assume that the proportion is significant.
If a source of income that has been established for working students since 2003 suddenly disappears, the question arises as to which alternatives students can realistically rely on.
Regardless of how one assesses the issue from a labor market or social policy perspective, a mini-job at least provides students with a clearly defined workload: approximately ten hours per week. At the current minimum wage of €13.90 per hour, a mini-job allows earnings of up to €603 per month. In our view, this represents a workload that is just about manageable alongside a full-time degree program, and not all students are able to find jobs related to their field of study.
There is a serious risk that students who depend on part-time work to finance their studies will find it much harder to secure alternative employment opportunities. Financial difficulties may follow, and in the worst case, students could be forced to drop out of university. Student budgets are already stretched to the limit, and for two-thirds of students, part-time work is an essential part of their economic reality.
All trainees and apprentices, including university students, must continue to have access to mini-jobs. The federal government urgently needs to reconsider this aspect of its pension plans; otherwise, it will deprive working students of an important source of income."