Hartz reforms

The Hartz reforms were a series of labor market policies introduced in Germany around 2003-2005, aimed at reducing unemployment and making the job market more flexible. Named after Peter Hartz, who led the commission that proposed the reforms, they included measures such as trimming unemployment benefits, promoting part-time work, and encouraging faster employment of benefit recipients. The reforms sought to improve the efficiency of the labor market, incentivize job-seeking, and stimulate economic activity, ultimately helping Germany recover from high unemployment rates in the early 2000s.