Short-Time Work Increases Again
The number of short-time workers in Germany has risen for the first time since February. In November, it increased to 608,000, up from 598,000* the previous month. This corresponds to 1.8 percent of the workforce. These figures are ifo Institute estimates based on its surveys as well as on data from the German Federal Employment Agency. In manufacturing, the number rose from 271,000* to 302,000 people (4.3 percent). “The bottleneck recession caused by a lack of intermediate products is making itself felt here,” says Stefan Sauer, a survey expert at the ifo Institute.
The number of short-time workers in Germany has risen for the first time since February. In November, it increased to 608,000, up from 598,000* the previous month. This corresponds to 1.8 percent of the workforce. These figures are ifo Institute estimates based on its surveys as well as on data from the German Federal Employment Agency. In manufacturing, the number rose from 271,000* to 302,000 people (4.3 percent). “The bottleneck recession caused by a lack of intermediate products is making itself felt here,” says Stefan Sauer, a survey expert at the ifo Institute.
In the hospitality industry, the number rose from 35,000* to 47,000 employees (4.4 percent of the workforce), while it fell in other sectors. Increases were also recorded by manufacturers of metal products from 33,000* to 44,000 employees (5.3 percent), metal manufacturers and processors from 14,000* to 22,000 (7.7 percent), and the chemical industry from 15,000* to 21,000 (2.3 percent). There was almost no change in the number of short-time workers at automakers and their suppliers, rising from 110,000* to 111,000 (11.7 percent).
Before the pandemic, the number of short-time workers was 134,000 in February 2020; it then jumped to 2.6 million in March 2020 and reached a record 6 million in April. This development was a first in Germany’s postwar history.
*) Revised figure
