Who is Deserving of What? A Qualitative Analysis on German Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Attitudes Toward Deservingness and Need

This article examines how German street-level bureaucrats exercise administrative discretion in welfare provision, focusing on perceptions of deservingness and need. Based on 37 interviews in job agencies, we identify four types of SLBs (hardliners, administrators, pragmatic social workers, and altruists), – each guided by distinct normative dispositions. These dispositions strongly influence decision-making and, ultimately, client outcomes and policy implementation. Findings show decisions are often value-based, shaping welfare practices. Our study contributes to public administration theory by linking discretion to justice principles and offers practical insights for fostering fairness and consistency in welfare services, particularly regarding need.