The Ifo Institute assumes that the number of employees on short-time work in Germany has increased significantly. According to estimates by economic researchers, around 900,000 people were on short-time work in January, as the Ifo Institute announced on Friday in Munich. In December there were still 780,000. Hospitality and retail in particular saw a sharp increase.
According to an Ifo estimate, 240,000 people and thus almost a quarter of the employees in the industry are currently on short-time work in the hospitality industry – in December it was 90,000. In retail, the number of employees increased by 45,000 to 120,000. In industry, on the other hand, it fell from 285,000 to 218,000 – according to an Ifo expert, because more preliminary products were available again.
The Ifo Institute estimates the number of people on short-time work based on its own surveys and figures from the Federal Employment Agency. According to current data from the Federal Agency, companies reported short-time work for 286,000 people from January 1st through January 26th. Experience has shown that less short-time work is actually used than is shown. The Federal Agency has always delayed final figures on short-time work actually implemented.
Short-time work in Germany had skyrocketed at the beginning of the corona pandemic with more than 6 million affected in April 2020. In January and February 2021 the number was over 3 million. After that, it initially fell, but has been rising again since November. (dpa)