Source: BUS Sachsen-Anhalt (Linie6PLus)

Apply for seasonal short-time allowance

Description

If, for example, your construction company is unable to carry out its work due to snowfall, seasonal short-time allowance can partially compensate for the loss of earnings. It is intended to relieve the burden on your company and help to preserve jobs.

The seasonal short-time allowance is limited to companies

the construction industry,
scaffolding trade,
of the roofing trade and
of gardening and landscaping.

You can only receive the benefit in the so-called bad weather period from December to March. In companies of the scaffolding trade, the bad weather season begins as early as November and ends in March. This regulation for the scaffolding trade is currently valid for a limited period until 31.3.2021.

As an employer, you must apply for, pay out and settle the seasonal short-time allowance. Your employees don't have to do anything.

Seasonal short-time work can be introduced for your entire company or limited to individual departments.

The actual amount of the seasonal short-time allowance depends on the respective income of your employees and the actual loss of work/earnings during seasonal short-time work:

60 percent of the lost net wage for employees without children in the household
67 percent of the lost net wage for employees with at least one child in the household.

In addition to the seasonal short-time allowance, you can apply for additional benefits for your employees, such as reimbursement of social security contributions.

In principle, you will receive the seasonal short-time allowance from the first hour of absence.

As an employer, you first pay wages and salaries to your employees in advance. The short-time allowance is settled monthly retrospectively with the Federal Employment Agency at the location of the payroll office and paid to you retroactively.

Temporary changes to the regulations for (seasonal) short-time allowance are possible.

For example, due to the Corona crisis, the regulations on short-time work compensation were temporarily changed. The changes concern, among other things, the contribution of minus hours, the crediting of income from secondary employment and a gradual increase in short-time work compensation. You can find out more on the website of the Federal Employment Agency.

Requirements

The seasonal short-time allowance can be applied for in the event of temporary and unavoidable loss of work

for economic reasons, or
for weather-related reasons, or
as a result of an unavoidable event.

Operational requirements:

Your company belongs to the construction industry, scaffolding trade, roofing trade or gardening and landscaping.
Your company or the company department employs at least 1 employee.

Personal requirements:

You have employees subject to social security contributions who have not been dismissed and with whom no termination agreement has been concluded

Which documents are required?

Application for seasonal short-time allowance (S-Kug) and supplementary benefits
Settlement list for seasonal short-time allowance (S-Kug) and supplementary benefits - Appendix to the benefit application

Appeal

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: No
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: Yes

Process flow

You can apply for seasonal short-time allowance in writing or online.

If you want to apply for the seasonal short-time allowance in writing:

They calculate the monthly wage and salary payments as well as the seasonal short-time allowance.
You pay the remuneration for hours worked and the seasonal short-time allowance for lost hours to your employees and pay the social security contributions.
You apply for reimbursement of the seasonal short-time allowance retroactively on a monthly basis at the responsible employment agency (application for seasonal short-time allowance and payroll list).
The Employment Agency will check your application and the payroll list. If your application is approved, you will receive the seasonal short-time allowance. You will receive a written notification of this.
After completion of the seasonal short-time work, the Employment Agency will check your submitted statements as part of a final audit and, if necessary, correct the approved seasonal short-time allowance.

If you want to apply for the seasonal short-time allowance online:

Go to the "eServices" portal on the website of the Federal Employment Agency.
Log in with your user ID and call up the application for seasonal short-time allowance.
Fill out the application, upload the billing list, and submit the application.
The Employment Agency will review your application and your documents. You will receive a notification of the decision on your application from the Employment Agency.
The remaining procedural steps are the same as the written procedure.

What else should I know?

In the event of extraordinary developments on the labour market (such as the spread of the coronavirus), the Federal Government or the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs may temporarily adjust the regulations on short-time work allowance by ordinance.