@Walter Hinteler,
Another alarming number here in Germany: about 500,000 announcements by companies (that's 500,000 employers with an unknown number of employees and worker) for short-time work (
Kurzarbeit*) were received in March, 20 times more than the previous record in the financial crisis.
* Kurzarbeit:
The “short-work-scheme" is in existence since the early 1900s (1903, if I remember correctly), was just modified to better address the current economic disruptions:
The current policy is as follows:
• Retroactive to March 1, 2020, businesses can register for the scheme if 10 percent (previously 30 percent) of their employees face income reductions of more than 10 percent due to the current crisis.
• The subsidy amounts to 60 percent of lost after-tax wages (67 percent if the employee has at least one child).
• Social security contributions (statutory health insurance, long time care insurance, pension insurance, unemployment insurance, occupational accident insurance, etc) paid on the reduced working hours will be refunded.
• The wage subsidy can be collected for up to 12 months.
• Temporary workers are also eligible.