Source: BUS Sachsen-Anhalt (Linie6PLus)

Apply for seasonal short-time allowance

Description

If your construction company cannot carry out its work due to snowfall, for example, seasonal short-time allowance can partially compensate for the loss of pay. It is intended to relieve the burden on your company and help preserve jobs.

Seasonal short-time allowance is limited to companies in the

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

You can only receive the benefit during the so-called bad weather period from December to March.

As an employer, you must apply for, pay 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 business or limited to individual departments.

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

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

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

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

As an employer, you initially make advance payments when paying wages and salaries to your employees. The short-time allowance is settled monthly in arrears with the Federal Employment Agency at the payroll office and paid to you retroactively.

Requirements

Seasonal short-time allowance can be applied for in the event of temporary and unavoidable loss of working hours

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

Operational requirements:

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

Personal requirements:

You have employees subject to social insurance 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 - Attachment to Application for Benefits

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. However, you can also use KEA (accept short-time allowance documents electronically) if applicable.

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

You calculate monthly wage and salary payments and seasonal short-time allowance.
You pay the wages and salaries for hours worked and the seasonal short-time allowance for hours lost to your employees and pay the social security contributions.
You apply for reimbursement of the seasonal short-time allowance retroactively each month to the relevant employment agency (application for seasonal short-time allowance and payroll list).
The Employment Agency will review 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 the end of the seasonal short-time working period, the Employment Agency will check the accounts you have submitted as part of a final audit and, if necessary, correct the approved seasonal short-time allowance.

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

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

If you want to use KEA for the application for seasonal short-time allowance and the corresponding payroll list:

You will need certified payroll software that supports submission using KEA.
In this case, you can transmit your application for seasonal short-time allowance and the associated payroll list fully digitized and securely from your payroll software to the Employment Agency.