Short-time working by individual agreement

Firstly, there must be a written agreement on short-time working between you and the employer after short-term lay-offs have been discussed with the employer. This means that you yourself must decide whether or not to participate in the short-time working measure. In order to avoid any doubt about what has been agreed, the agreement must be in writing. It is not possible to sign an agreement on short-time working in advance. This can only occur when the reduction in working hours becomes relevant. It is reasonable to agree that any agreed pension provisions should not be affected by the short-time lay-off and if so to include this in the agreement. The agreement should also include a short mutual notice period of seven days. In addition, the agreement should state that the agreement will cease to apply immediately in the event of redundancy or resignation. It should be made clear in the agreement that as soon as the agreement on short-time working expires, the terms and conditions that apply in your normal employment contract are to apply immediately to your employment relationship.
Secondly, at least 70 percent of the employees in an operating unit are required to participate in the short-time working measure during the period that state aid is received by the employer. This requirement has been set to ensure that the measure is only used by an employer when there is a considerable reduction in the need for labour. The need can of course vary between the operating units where an employer has multiple operating units, and therefore a separate assessment is to be made for each.
Thirdly, the agreed working hours and salary reduction are to be the same for all employees within the operating unit who participate in the measure.
Finally, the working hours and salary reduction agreed are to be in accordance with one of the three fixed levels that have been decided and communicated by the government. See the table below.