Labor Office to Question Unemployed

The German labor office is considering the introduction of a detailed questionnaire for the long-term unemployed on their private life, a German newspaper reported. Bild am Sonntag said the agency circulated a project on the questionnaire calling on its officials to seek information on the make-up of the families of unemployed people, which associations they belong to and how many times they have been to hospital. "It's about, on a case by case basis, finding out what are the causes of long-term unemployment," said a spokesman for the economy ministry. "It's important to take adequate measures and develop the right concepts for taking care of the unemployed," he said. An employment agency spokeswoman said the questionnaire would only be sent to the long-term unemployed who are being followed by special counselors for personal problems. The jobless total in the eurozone's biggest economy fell for the first time in 15 months in April to 4.968 million from 5.176 million in March, taking the jobless rate down to 12.0 percent from 12.5 percent.