Germany: to avoid mass layoffs, the federal government is going to extend legal short-time working (Kurzarbeit)

In companies such as equipment manufacturer Bosch, everything that can reduce working time is done to try and adjust production which avoiding layoffs. Whereas tens of thousands of permanent workers in the equipment manufacture and car industries are forced to go on vacation and that their temporary colleagues are starting to pay for the consequences of the financial crisis on real economy, the federal government is going to extend the legal duration of short-time working from 12 to 18, or even 24 months. (Ref. 080835)
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Bosch, heavyweight German equipment manufacturer, is only one of many examples but it is a symbol of what is currently taking place in German companies. Thus, since the beginning of the week, the management has been bargaining with the WC for the measures to take to face dropping orders and inflating stocks. At the heart of talks is the forced reduction of working time and the almost guaranteed appeal to short-time working for some of the employees of the German group.

Appeal to short-time worki

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