Germany’s relatively strong economy has led to a proliferation of “minijobs,” a special employment classification originally designed for stay-at-home mothers that allows people to earn up to 450 euros a month tax-free. About 7.4 million people, or nearly 1 in 5 working Germans, now hold these low-wage, part-time positions, which include restaurant and clinic work, says the Wall Street Journal. Proponents say minijobs give employers flexibility to adjust their workforces and keep wages low; opponents say they trap workers in marginal occupations.

Source: 'Minijobs' Lift Employment But Mask German Weakness