Working Life > Income > Electronic Remuneration Certification

ELENA, Electronic Remuneration Certification, or Job Card

Definition, Explanation

ELENA (elektronischer Entgeltnachweis), the electronic remuneration certification is an easier way for employees to certify their remuneration amounts. Certificates are required when you apply for certain benefits. The introducing of the ELENA method is supposed to unite the employer’s electronic personnel management and the electronic authorities’ administration, making paper prints obsolete. A former name of ELENA from the times when it was a project in development is “Job Card”.

Since Jan 01 2010, the remuneration amount data is sent online by employers to a central register of the German pension insurance. From Jan 12 2012, the remuneration certificates are planned to be filed completely electronically. Access to the data is controlled by the employee with an e-card with an integrated certificate for electronic signature. The e-card can be the EC/Maestro card, the electronic health card (eGK) or the electronic ID (ePA). With the card, the employee can open data access to labour agencies and other authorities.

Purpose of ELENA:

• Relieving companies of some administrative expenses
• Saving paper
• Averting welfare fraud
• Reducing effort for applicants

Remuneration-related certificates are required e.g. for the applications (there are around 180 types of applications) for

• Unemployment benefit
  • Working certificate
  • Certificate of side-line income
  • Details on employment status
• Rent benefit
• Parents benefit
  • Certificate of income
• Place in a kindergarten
• Education support (BAföG)
• Trial cost support and witnesses’ time compensation

Data that are reported to ELENA:

• Name, birth date, insurance number, address
• Income
• Working hours
• Sick and leave times, including stoppage participation
• Warnings, dismissal reasons
• Social insurance contribution payments (insurance premium)

Some problems with ELENA:

• Extensive employee data is recorded
• Data is concentrated in one place
• Most of the data is never actually needed
• Long term data storage

Method of ELENA:

• Data access is only given with permission of the employee
• Permission is given electronically by electronic signature with the certificate on a signature card

Tips, Checklist

• Use your right to view the recorded data about you

Last update: 11/18/2011