The fight for skilled workers in the Munich metropolitan region is tough. In order to be attractive as an employer, the town halls in the district of Munich also feel compelled to become active. An additional financial incentive is a tried-and-tested means of attracting and retaining administrative specialists and educators. The municipalities of Ismaning and Unterföhring also rely on it. Both municipalities have now decided to continue their labor market allowances and in some cases even to increase them.
In Unterföhring, all employees in the municipal administration who are covered by collective agreements have received a labor market allowance in addition to their regular salary since 2016. The allowance is currently 250 euros per month for full-time employees after a corresponding individual examination. Overall, this results in almost 365,000 euros in additional personnel costs for the municipality in 2022, but these are worthwhile from the point of view of the administration: the additional bonus is by no means an unimportant wage component for applicants. The administration therefore proposed to the municipal council to even increase the labor market allowance to 300 euros per month – which the committee accepted. In Ismaning, too, employees of the municipality and the municipal utilities should continue to receive a labor market allowance, the municipality has currently extended the additional payment of 200 euros per month for a total of a good 500 employees until the end of 2023.
Educators also continue to receive more money
Another area in which municipalities and other operators have particular difficulties in finding enough qualified staff is in childcare facilities. Here, too, Unterföhring relies on an additional bonus to the salary and is extending its labor market allowance for the employees of the Unterföhringer Awo day care centers until the end of 2024. Similar to other municipalities in the district, educators and other employees receive an additional 200 euros per month after appropriate examination.
Ismaning made a conscious decision to employ more carers in the municipal day-care centers than the minimum recommended by law. This was recently criticized during a regional audit of the community finances. However, the municipal council has now emphasized that it intends to continue its policy here. The good staffing has proven its worth, especially during the Corona period, and the municipal facilities were also able to compensate for the lack of space in daycare centers from other providers due to a lack of staff. Successful childcare is now a location factor.