The leaders of the grand coalition have agreed on an increase in short-time work benefits. What is important for employees now.
- Many companies and jobs are at risk due to the corona crisis.
The leaders of the grand coalition have agreed on an increase in short-time work benefits
- We explain what the short-time allowance means and the innovations .
Coalition agrees higher short-time work allowance
The tips of the CDU and SPD have adapted to an increase in short-time allowance: In view of the corona crisis it is for childless workers - depending on the reference period - from 60 to up to 80 percent and for employees with children from 67 to up to 87 percent increases be reported, such as SZ Online.
The leaders of the grand coalition have agreed to increase the short-time work allowance in order to mitigate the consequences of the corona crisis on particularly hard-hit workers. As the CDU, CSU and SPD announced on the night of April 23 after consultations by the coalition committee in Berlin, up to 80 percent of the loss of wages should be compensated for, depending on the duration of the benefits , and up to 87 percent for households with children . So far, short-time work benefits had been 60 percent and 67 percent, respectively. Now it should be increased for those who have reduced their working hours by at least 50 percent from the fourth month to 70 percent (77 percent for parents) and from the seventh month to 80 percent (87 percent for parents). That should apply at the latest until the end of the year.
Higher benefits also agreed for the unemployed
Due to the economic consequences of the measures to combat pandemics, more than 700,000 companies in Germany have applied for short-time work for their employees. The coalition committee also agreed that short-time workers in all industries could earn an income up to the full amount of their previous monthly income from May 1 to the end of the year. Unemployed persons who would receive unemployment benefits between May 1st and December 31st receive the benefit for three months longer.
Tax relief for restaurants and small and medium-sized companies
Gastronomy businesses as well as small and medium-sized companies are also to be tax-free: In the catering industry, the value added tax for food will be reduced from July 1 to June 30, 2021 to the reduced tax rate of seven percent . Small and medium-sized companies are enabled to make the flat-rate reduction for tax prepayments already made in 2019 with regard to losses in 2020.
Students and schools get support for digital classes
The coalition also decided to support schoolchildren and schools with 500 million euros in digitization . Schools are enabled to pay needy pupils a subsidy of 150 euros for the purchase of appropriate equipment. In addition, the equipment in schools is to be promoted, which is necessary for the creation of professional online courses.
Corona crisis - first easing in some shops
The corona virus * remains the dominant topic in Germany. The first easing, for example in the shops, is cautious and gradual. On April 15, an innovation was announced: The contact restrictions imposed on the spread of the corona pandemic in Germany are to be extended to at least May 3 . Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Prime Ministers of the federal states agreed on this in Berlin on Wednesday, as the German Press Agency reported.
At the same time, they agreed to carefully relax the restrictions on everyday life. For example, shops with a sales area of up to 800 square meters have been allowed to reopen since April 20, with hygiene requirements among other things.
According to the compromise between the federal government and the federal states , car dealers, bicycle dealers and bookstores should be able to start operating again regardless of the sales area.
In Bavaria, however, the schedule is a little different: in the Corona crisis, shops with a sales area of up to 800 square meters will only be allowed to reopen there on April 27, subject to conditions. Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) announced this on Thursday after the cabinet meeting in Munich. Since April 20, DIY and garden centers have also been allowed to reopen in Bavaria.
Corona crisis: restaurants, bars and clubs remain closed for the time being
In the almost four-hour video session, Merkel and the heads of state had agreed on the roadmap for the way out of the corona crisis. While the shops are said to at least have the first easing, restaurants , bars and clubs remain closed for an uncertain period .
For the time being, people should continue to do without traveling . This also applies to tourist day trips. The global travel warning is maintained. Accommodation offers in Germany should continue to be made available only for necessary and expressly non-tourist purposes.
Who can apply for short-time work?
The employer applies for short-time work. In the course of the Corona crisis, the Bundestag has introduced a new law that regulates easier access to benefits for a limited period until December 31, 2020. With retroactive effect from March 1, companies can now use short-time work benefits if ten percent of the employees are affected by the loss of work. So far this had to be a third of the employees. In addition, negative working time accounts are not set up.
The employer must report short-time work to the Federal Employment Agency. Before that, the employer must announce the decision to his employees , as the DGB legal protection explains.
For this, a company agreement between the employer and the works council is usually concluded. In companies without a works council, the employer usually has to obtain a declaration of consent from the employees affected by short-time work .
What does that mean for my salary?
Here is a calculation example: Until now, employees without children received 60 percent of their net loss of earnings if they worked short-time. For example, anyone who would only work four days a week instead of the usual five days would get 80 percent of their wages from the employer. For the remaining 20 percent, employees receive the proportional compensation payment from the employment agency.
In extreme cases, the working time can be reduced to zero and temporarily stopped entirely. Short-time work benefits can be drawn for a maximum of twelve months.
To accurately calculate the short-time allowance , the Federal Employment Agency a table * available. The employer can also voluntarily increase the short-time work benefit. However, there is no legal claim to such an increase. In individual cases, however, it could be worth negotiating, as the DGB explains legal protection in a contribution.
Read more: Coronavirus: School / Kindergarten closed - Will the employer release me?
How can the short-time allowance possibly be even higher?
There were agreements in several large companies to increase short-time work benefits by up to 100 percent . Deutsche Telekom and Deutsche Bahn pay their employees 80 percent, as was recently said, at Volkswagen the range is between 78 and 95 percent. In their own company, employees can, for example, inquire at the works council whether such or another regulation is made in their company. The topic can certainly be raised with the employer - good communication often leads to sensible solutions.
More money through a collective agreement
For employees for whom a collective agreement has been concluded, there is often also more in it. Many unions had negotiated increases of 80 to 90 percent or more in these agreements . These industries include the wood and plastic processing industry in Saxony, the wholesale and foreign trade in North Rhine-Westphalia, the automotive trade in Bavaria and the chemical industry.
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How can I apply for short-time work benefits?
Companies have to state the short-time work in writing at the employment service of the employment agency at the company headquarters. The Federal Employment Agency offers a form (PDF) for this. The works council also has the right to report short-time work. The employment agency has compiled on its website which documents must be submitted by the companies.
What about part-time jobs?
Who one before the start of short-time work outside activity is pursued, it can do more. Earnings have no impact on the amount of short-time work benefits, as the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) explains in an FAQ.
For employees who take up a second job, the resulting wage will be deducted from the short-time allowance. An exception applies according to DGB legal protection until October 31, 2020 in "systemically relevant" areas. Secondary earnings, for example in the health sector, are not counted towards short-time benefits here . This applies if employees do not exceed the amount of wages they received before short-time work.
Find out here : Corona pandemic - Can the employer order overtime - and what about vacation?
Can the employer force me to take vacation off first?
The requirements for short-time work benefits are precisely regulated in Social Security Code III. The employer can register short-time work if the loss of work is unavoidable and the company has done everything possible to reduce or remedy it. " This means that time credits, overtime or the like have to be" celebrated "first, " explains specialist lawyer for labor law Johannes Schipp. In addition, it is possible to arrange vacation, provided that the relevant vacation days have not already been approved. Holidays that have already been approved cannot easily be canceled by the employer.
According to Schipp, there are no clear rules on the question of the framework in which vacations can be arranged. In his opinion, however, in a pandemic situation, it may well be the case that employees have to use half or two thirds of their vacation entitlement first. Urgent operational reasons then conflict with the vacation wishes of the employees.
Can my employer choose who they send on short-time work or forced leave?
"When selecting employees, it will be crucial in which areas the loss of work occurs," said the specialist lawyer. If there is still a choice for the employer, the selection will have to be made at its reasonable discretion. The employer cannot proceed arbitrarily .
In companies with works councils, the introduction of short-time work and the regulation of details are subject to the co-determination of the works council. So the employer cannot set things unilaterally here.
Also read: Submit your 2018 tax return retrospectively - get a lot of money back
How long is short-time work allowance actually paid?
As a general rule, the state pays short-time working benefits to eligible companies for up to one year . There is no maximum limit for short-time work benefits.
What applies to the self-employed?
Self-employed persons cannot benefit from short-time work benefits because they are not compulsorily insured under unemployment insurance, explains the specialist lawyer.
State guarantees for loans from the KfW development bank
In addition to short-time work, however, there is the option of applying for government guarantees for loans from the KfW development bank . Solo employees and small businesses with up to five employees receive a one-time payment of 9,000 euros for three months, companies with up to ten employees receive 15,000 euros . In addition, each state has its own rules on the amount of the grants and which companies are eligible for grants.
The demand for aid loans is enormous - and KfW is expecting increasing numbers. According to CEO Günther Bräunig, around 2,500 applications with a volume of EUR 10.6 billion have already been made, as Tagesschau.de (as of April 2) reports.
"Because of the drastic effects of the Corona crisis, many solo self-employed people fear for their existence - for example, musicians, photographers, artists, naturopaths, interpreters or nurses," reported Tagesschau.de. Small business owners, solo self-employed people and farmers could access the federal aid funds in the Corona crisis .
Sources: Federal Employment Agency, dpa
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ahu / dpa
* merkur.de is part of the nationwide central Ippen editorial network.
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