Germany: ‘Coronavirus’ measures added to draft vocational training legislation

Germany’s legislature is making additions to the text voted by the Bundestag on 23 April on the current health crisis. In order to ensure appropriate functioning of works councils and the other representative bodies as provided for in legislation over co-determination for the world of work, the text now recognizes the validity of works council decisions that are taken during telephone and video- conferences. This provision fills the legal void that appeared at the end of March, when works councils, unable to meet in person, were asked, as required by law, to give their opinions on short-time working measures. At the time, the Ministry’s legal advisers considered that pending a law, virtual votes could be tolerated, (c.f. article No. 11762). The Federal Government will have the right to selectively double the duration of short-time working from the current 12 months to 24 months across sectors in crisis. Finally, recipients of short-time work allowance arrangements who take up part-time jobs (mini-jobs) in sectors considered ‘systemically’ important will be able to keep all the money they have earned without any reduction in their short-time work allowance.