16 companies in the Fürstenfeldbruck district have registered short-time work for economic reasons. Manufacturers of devices, machines and packaging materials or medical devices are most affected.
But carpentry and locksmith shops are also increasingly turning to this instrument. In this way, companies can save wages and do not have to permanently lay off their employees - because they will need them again in better times. In the pre-Corona year 2019, from January 1st to March 15th, 18 companies applied for short- time working benefits in the entire employment agency area. In same period in 2024 there were 125, almost seven times as many. The end of the line has not yet been reached, especially for trades that are related to the construction industry. “It’s like a rat's tail,” says district master craftsman Franz Höfelsauer. Around 20 percent of applications for economic short-term work benefits have to be rejected because they do not meet the stricter normal regulations.