Konfessionszugehörigkeit als Selektionskriterium bei Stellenausschreibungen kirchlicher Arbeitgeber

Within the social economy sector Church employers primarily dominate the areas of social service and education. As employers representing a specific orientation, Church employers, such as the German Caritas Association, have the possibility to offer employment dependent on compliancy with certain requirements, such as the religious affiliation of the applicants. An examination of 685 job advertisements issued by the Caritas Association shows that this possibility is made use of, but the reference to the requirement of religious affiliation is frequently unclear. It is in particular the rather vague references to the significance of the religious denomination that make it difficult for applicants to determine the actual relevance of the religious affiliation for the employment relationship. Applicants with no religious affiliation or non-Christian applicants are excluded as a result of systemic factors. At the same time applicants in the field of social service and education-related occupations have few alternatives outside the social economy.