PRESS STATEMENT IG Metall welcomes cabinet decisions on short-time work and calls for further steps

Jörg Hofmann: “We very much welcome the extension of the provisions regarding the duration of benefits and top-up payments for short-time work benefits, as this is an indispensable component in overcoming the acute COVID-19 crisis. Short-time work safeguards jobs. It has so far prevented major disruptions in the labor market. We must continue down this path. To secure jobs in the long term amid structural change, we must link short-time work more closely to skills training. That is why it is absolutely the right decision to tie the full reimbursement of social security contributions to employers to a commitment to provide skills training in the future.

Employees and companies need predictability. The federal government should decide by June 2021 at the latest on whether to extend the short-time work programs. The federal government should also hold employers more accountable: Reimbursement of social security contributions should only be granted if companies, in return, rule out layoffs for operational reasons during the period of short-time work.”

Further information and press photos of Jörg Hofmann