The initial shock of unemployment has subsided, and you have successfully completed your registration with the RAV. But now the actual process begins: clear rules and obligations apply, which you must strictly adhere to in order not to jeopardise your daily allowances. We have summarised the most important points from the official SECO guide in an easy-to-understand way for you.
Bonus: Further down in this article, you can download the official SECO guide (2026 edition) as a PDF for free.
1. Your most important duty: Job-seeking efforts
The absolute basic prerequisite for receiving daily allowances is the duty to minimize damage (Schadensminderungspflicht). This means: you are obliged to do everything reasonable to shorten your period of unemployment.
In practice, this means you must write a specified number of job applications every month (usually 8 to 12). You must present these to your RAV advisor on time every month – usually using the form for proof of personal work-seeking efforts (PAB).
Anyone who is careless here risks so-called suspension days. These are days on which your daily allowance is completely suspended because you have violated your duties.
2. Interim earnings: Why it is worth it
Many people ask themselves whether they should accept a temporary or part-time job that pays less than their daily allowance. SECO's clear answer: Yes!
This is called interim earnings (Zwischenverdienst). In such cases, the unemployment insurance fund (Arbeitslosenkasse) makes a so-called compensatory payment. As a result, you always have more money in your account than if you only received the pure daily allowance. In addition, you make valuable contacts and accumulate new contribution months for the insurance.
3. Illness, accident and holidays (control-free days)
Have you fallen ill? Then the following applies: Duty to report! You must report any incapacity for work to the RAV within one week. From the 4th day of illness, a medical certificate is strictly required.
Control-free days (holidays): After 60 days of controlled unemployment, you are entitled to 5 control-free days. During this time, you are exempt from job search obligations. Please note: You must register this "holiday intake" with the RAV two weeks in advance!
The problem with "paperwork"
The greatest risk for job seekers is not that they won't find jobs, but that they lose track of things in the bureaucracy. Anyone who forgets proof, misses deadlines, or documents applications poorly is penalised by the system – often with drastic financial cuts (suspension days).
The RAV expects flawless, complete documentation of your job search. Any mistake can cost you hard cash.
PARAT: Your security in daily RAV life
This is exactly where PARAT comes in. Instead of struggling with Excel lists and countless forms, PARAT takes care of the administrative work for you completely:
- Central management: Save all applications in one place.
- CV generator: Create RAV-compliant, professional CVs in minutes.
- ZIP export for the RAV: With one click, you receive a ready-to-use ZIP package at the end of the month with all the proof for your advisor.
Test PARAT now for free – no subscription, no hidden costs. Start your job search stress-free.
Download: The official SECO guide 2026
Would you like to read all the legal details, figures, and eligibility requirements in detail? Here you can download the official document of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO):
📄 Download: A Guide for Insured Persons - Unemployment (PDF)
In this guide, you will find detailed answers to 17 key questions regarding unemployment, daily allowances, and obligations.
