German employment growth more than doubled in 2007, with the average number of people in work rising to a post-unification record of 39.7 million, preliminary Federal Statistics Office data showed today.
Employment increased by 1.7 per cent last year, or 649,000, the strongest rate since 1.9 per cent in 2000, after growth of 0.6 per cent, or 242,000, in 2006, the figures showed.
The positive development in employment is being attributed to the good economic situation, mild weather at the start of the year and measures introduced at the end of 2006 to encourage employers to keep on staff who might typically be let go during the slower winter months.
Germany's seasonally-adjusted unemployment total has fallen steadily from a peak just above 5 million in March 2005 and was at 3.6 million in November.
The Federal Labour Office is due to publish its labour market report for December shortly before 0900 GMT tomorrow.