Employees at Berlin’s State Office for Refugee Affairs (LFA) have raised alarm over severe staff shortages and unsustainable workloads in a letter to the city’s political leadership. They are calling for urgent intervention, particularly the hiring of more staff, as the situation at the office deteriorates due to the surge in refugees following the war in Ukraine.
Staff raise the alarm on working conditions
In a letter addressed to Berlin’s Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU), the Senate, and the House of Representatives, staff at the LFA highlighted the dire conditions they face. Signed by the personnel council, women’s representative, and representatives for employees with disabilities, the letter details the urgent need for more personnel to handle the escalating number of cases. The letter, originally sent in late August 2024, was first reported by Tagesspiegel and has since been obtained by t-online.
The LFA, responsible for registering, housing, and supporting refugees in Berlin, has been overwhelmed since 2022 due to the Ukraine war. According to the letter, each caseworker is currently responsible for approximately 280 cases on average, with additional in-person visits from refugees further compounding the workload. The letter describes the situation as a “massive overload for all employees.”
High staff turnover and worsening conditions
The working conditions at the LFA appear to be having significant consequences on staff retention. The letter reveals that 56 employees, representing 10% of the total workforce, left the LFA in 2023 alone. In the first half of 2024, another 29 employees departed, further exacerbating the staff shortage. As a result, those remaining are forced to work extensive overtime.
Staff at the LFA also operate the arrival center in Tegel, which has faced public scrutiny for poor conditions. The letter criticizes the precarious nature of employment contracts, noting that temporary support staff are only contracted until the end of the year. The already poor working environment is compounded by this uncertainty, with the letter stating that it has taken a toll on both the physical and mental health of the workforce.
Aggression toward staff becoming common
The letter also highlights how the lack of staff and long delays in processing refugees have led to heightened frustration among the refugee population. This, in turn, has resulted in an increase in both verbal and physical assaults on LFA staff, described as “a daily occurrence.” The letter warns that the LFA is now struggling to fulfill its duty to protect the physical and mental health of its employees.
The staff representatives are calling for immediate action, including the extension of contracts for support staff, the creation of more permanent full-time positions, and securing financial support for hiring temporary workers. They also acknowledge that the ongoing war in Ukraine is likely to extend for the foreseeable future, meaning the strain on the office will not ease anytime soon.
Dated August 28, 2024, the letter concludes with a note from the LFA personnel council expressing disappointment at the lack of response from city officials to date.
