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Hubertus Heil (archive photo): »In winter there can be a recessionary situation«
Photo: Annegret Hilse / REUTERS
Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) wants to extend easier access to short-time work.
During a summer trip to Schönebeck in Saxony-Anhalt, Heil said that he wanted to launch a corresponding draft in the coming days.
The number of employees affected by short-time work has fallen from around six million at the peak of the corona pandemic to around 500,000 most recently.
But in view of the risks, such as inflation, high energy prices and stagnant supply chains, he wants to give companies and employees a little security, says Heil.
The current rules stipulate that short-time work benefits can already be paid if at least ten percent of the employees are affected by the loss of work.
The threshold had previously been one third.
In addition, employees do not have to build up any negative hours before receiving short-time work benefits.
Without an extension, these regulations would expire at the end of September.
Heil said that parts of the manufacturing industry and trade could get into difficulties.
"We're still growing," said Heil.
In winter, however, there could be a "recessionary situation," said the minister, citing economists.
Employers criticize the return to the home office obligation
Meanwhile, Germany's employers have criticized Heil's other plans for the fall and winter.
It had already become known the day before that the Federal Ministry of Labor was planning to return to the obligation to offer home offices from October.
Employer President Reiner Dulger criticized that, regardless of the specific infection situation, the same infection protection measures should apply in the companies as at the height of the pandemic.
"That's inappropriate and incomprehensible," Dulger said.
"It's time to leave the panic corner and get back to normal with Corona."
According to a draft bill from the labor department, employers should again be obliged to offer employees to work from home to protect themselves from corona infections, provided that it is operationally possible.
Heil said during his summer trip: "But it's also important to me that we protect the employees who can't work from home at work," said Heil.
»There will also be hygiene rules for this.«
hej/dpa-AFX