The debate surrounding mini-jobs continues: on Tuesday, Marcel Fratzscher, President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), suggested that marginal employment should be largely abolished. A similar demand was raised back in November by the employee group of the Union faction in the Bundestag. This requirement has now reached the agenda of the CDU convention, which is taking place starting today in Stuttgart.
How many people would be affected by the abolition of marginal employment in Bavaria? Which sectors would be hit hardest? To answer this, the BR24 editorial team analyzed data from the Federal Employment Agency.
How many people in Bavaria have a mini-job?
As of the reporting date in July 2025, approximately 728,000 people in Bavaria worked exclusively in marginal employment. Additionally, about 725,000 people performed mini-job work as a supplement to an activity subject to mandatory social security contributions.
A comparison between federal states shows that the Free State, with a mini-job worker share of about 22 percent, is at an average level. However, the proportion of people who have a mini-job as an additional source of income—alongside full-time or part-time work—is higher in Bavaria than in any other federal state.
What is a mini-job?
A mini-job is a term used both colloquially and in official documents to describe marginal employment. Employment is considered marginal based either on pay—which applies to the vast majority—or on working hours.
- Option 1: The regular monthly income must not exceed 603 euros (as of February 2026), even if multiple mini-jobs are held. This limit is tied to the minimum wage and is adjusted regularly.
- Option 2: Short-term mini-jobs are limited from the start to a maximum of three months or 70 working days per calendar year.
Only one marginal employment is permitted alongside a primary job subject to social security. It is essentially exempt from social security contributions and is taxed in a simplified manner.
Gender, Age, and Education: Who are Bavaria’s mini-jobbers?
Overall, more women than men work in mini-jobs. For women, marginal employment is also more frequently the sole source of income. This higher quota for women is observed across all age groups.
As a sole source of income, mini-jobs play a significant role particularly at the beginning and end of professional life. In middle age groups, the side job variant is more prominent, especially among men. People without professional training most often rely on marginal employment as their only income, while those with professional qualifications frequently use mini-jobs as a supplement.
Which sectors would be most affected by the abolition of Mini-jobs?
The largest share of mini-job workers is found in cleaning professions, where nearly 90 percent of employees are in marginal employment. For about a third, it is the only source of income, and for more than half, it is a side job. The gastronomy and food industry sectors also see a majority of mini-job workers.
Over the past ten years, the share of those working exclusively in marginal employment has slightly decreased, while the share of those using it as a secondary job alongside social-security-compliant work has grown.Source: BR24
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