During its last meeting of the year, the Bundesrat, the Upper House of the German Parliament, implemented a series of laws concerning employment and social contributions. They add to other laws passed in 2008 which will all be enforced on January 1, 2009. Planet Labor is listing major changes. (Ref. 090001)
Extending partial unemployment and access to training. The Federal Employment Agency will pay wages as part of partial
unemployment measures, amounting to 60-67% of gross monthly wages depending on
the employee’s family situation, for 18 months now
instead of 12, for all applications made in 2009. Besides, businesses appealing to partial
unemployment measures will be entitled to the “Qualification Fund to strengthen
growth”, partially funded by the European Social Fund. Until now, this fund was
only open for partial unemployment measures taken for the creation of an
employment and reclassification agency (Transfergesellschaft).
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