Wednesday, September 7, 2022

How Does Germany 'Short-Time' Work Function In A Recession?

 Around the period after WW I, the Weimar Republic invented this gimmick for industry workers in the middle of a recession.

Basically, the plant or industry would admit they have issues and don't need to produce 100-percent of what they were doing.  So they sign a piece of paper, and state that they think things will improve, but rather than lay people off....you give them a lesser schedule (maybe 8 hours a week.....maybe 16 hours....maybe 24 hours).

So the government then steps in and provide an allowance to the workers to cover 'most' (not all of normal pay but covers a big chunk).  You do make less, and on average...it's probably 20 percent less income.  Guys on short-work don't buy new cars, or take vacations.  

Limited time for shot-time? Oh yeah, max of 12 months unless the government writes a waiver for a longer period.  

The positive side?  Most recessions....don't go past six to eight months.  The negative?  You are paying a fair amount of tax into a pot to cover the day where this might happen.

How many times in your life....might this be triggered?  For my wife, mid-50s, she's probably done four occasions of short-work.  Some were 90 days....some were eight to nine months.  

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