Job loss and illness: Linzer fights against insurance confusion!

Job loss and illness: Linzer fights against insurance confusion!

The dramatic Situation of 49-year-old Manuela S. from Linz draws attention to the challenges with which unemployed people are faced. In January she lost her workplace in the catering trade when her employer registered bankruptcy. Dependent on obligations with diabetes disease and daily insulin therapy, the desperate woman is now faced with a serious emergency. She has no access to her vital medication because she was blocked by the labor market service (AMS) after she had missed an appointment. In a conversation with "today" she expresses her despair: "I don't know how to proceed."

Problems with insurance and support

Manuela is not only burdened by her health restrictions, but also through the past misunderstandings with the health insurance fund. She was once assured of receiving sick pay, only to find out that she would not get it. Despite an e-card, due to the lack of activation, it cannot take any medical care. Thanks to a friend's financial aid, she was able to temporarily afford insulin and medication, but the psychological stress is enormous. "It is for the race," said the frustrated Linzer.

The AMS explains that sanctions and money barriers may be necessary within the framework of the unemployment insurance law to ensure compliance with appointments. Angela Herzauer, employee of the AMS, points out that clients are informed about such measures in advance and that after failed dates can report with an excusable reason. Otherwise, the right to unemployment benefit is exposed to the next personal discussion, which leads to an existential threat to many people. A comprehensive study shows that many clients are confronted with similar challenges, which increases the fact that the integration of people into working life is often associated with considerable hurdles, as can be seen from the results of the AMS study.