The coronavirus pandemic is a major challenge for the economy and the labour market. To support employees and employers, a fast-track parliamentary procedure has put in place the legal basis to facilitate access to short-time work allowance. The Cabinet has also adopted the pertinent ordinance.
Easier access - the new regulations for short-time work will support employees and businesses
Foto: Thomas Koehler/photothek.net
With the ordinance, the German government makes use of the authorisation laid out in the "Act to enhance the regulations governing short-time work allowance for a limited period as a result of the crisis" (Gesetz zur befristeten krisenbedingten Verbesserung der Regelungen für das Kurzarbeitergeld) in order to make it easier to obtain short-time work allowance. In this way jobs are to be saved during the coronavirus pandemic, and lay-offs avoided.
The following regulations apply retrospectively as of 1 March 2020, to facilitate access to short-time work allowance:
The ordinance makes full use of the authorisations laid out in the "Act to enhance the regulations governing short-time work allowance for a limited period as a result of the crisis" (Gesetz zur befristeten krisenbedingten Verbesserung der Regelungen für das Kurzarbeitergeld).