The federal government wants to offer companies an incentive to hire employees or to get them out of short-time work.

This should accelerate the economic recovery from the Corona crisis, said Minister of Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier (CDU) on Wednesday in Berlin.

Companies could expect a restart bonus for a few months.

This is not intended as a longer subsidy.

It should help at the beginning, if it would otherwise not pay off, to increase staff.

Specifically, companies that can prove a corona-related drop in sales can receive a subsidy for personnel costs.

The difference in personnel expenses in July compared to May 2021 is taken into account. In July, companies are to receive a subsidy of 60 percent, in August of 40 percent and in September of 20 percent.

After that, this help is no longer granted.

Simplified access to short-time work

At the same time, the cabinet decided to extend the state aid that has already been granted for particularly stressed companies.

As the finance and


economics ministry announced on Wednesday in Berlin, the so-called bridging aid III for companies and self-employed persons will be continued until September 30, 2021 as "bridging aid III Plus".

Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) said the "economic engine" was running.

Nevertheless, the exit from the pandemic is gradual.

That is why the extension of the aid, which was limited to the end of June, is an important signal.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) emphasized that Germany weathered the pandemic better than many others economically because the government had resolutely provided aid.

"And this support will not stop shortly before the goal, that would be economic nonsense." Even if the falling incidence figures give hope for an end to the pandemic, many companies are still affected by the consequences of the pandemic.

Scholz also pointed out that companies that receive the extended bridging aid are not allowed to distribute profits and dividends.

This also applies to the payment of bonuses and the repurchase of shares.

The bridging aid is the government's central crisis instrument to cushion the consequences of the pandemic on jobs and companies.

With the extension, the upper limit for the subsidies will also be increased - especially larger companies from the fashion and hotel industries, for example, had complained that they had not yet received the aid.

At the same time, companies that take employees out of short-time work earlier or hire new employees should receive a “restart bonus”.

The federal government also decided on Wednesday that the simplified access to short-time work will be extended again.