Germany short-time workers, seasonally adjusted
Germany short-time workers, seasonally adjusted stood at 133,297 Number in Jul 2026, according to Deutsche Bundesbank, Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) and Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit. It is one of the indicators in the Labour market (monthly) table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1995 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour market (monthly) table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonally and calendar adjusted | |||||||||||
| Short-time workers, basis for entitlement according to section 96 only, Social Security Code III, Absolute value | 133,297 | 132,193 | 130,812 | 138,158 | 132,917 | 138,397 | 141,697 | 160,131 | |||
| Unemployment registered pursuant to section 16 Social Security Code III, Social Security Code III and Social Security Code II, Absolute value | 3,012 | 3,000 | 2,995 | 2,988 | 2,988 | 2,998 | 2,979 | 2,978 | 2,977 | 2,976 |
Understanding germany short-time workers, seasonally adjusted
Capturing state-subsidized labour retention, this series enumerates individuals benefiting from short-time work allowance under section 96 of Social Security Code III. The measure accounts for employees whose working hours have been temporarily reduced by their employers due to unavoidable economic difficulties or specific operational disruptions. Instead of facing redundancies, these workers remain officially employed while receiving partial income replacement from the state for the unworked hours. Positioned uniquely within the labour market statistics, this metric highlights the extent of underutilized dependent labour that is deliberately kept attached to firms, separating these individuals from both full-time active workers and the registered unemployed.
Evaluating adjusted monthly developments highlights whether subsidized hour reductions are expanding or contracting independently of recurring seasonal slowdowns, such as weather-related construction halts. Real-time analysis is complicated by a prolonged reporting and claiming process; preliminary estimates often diverge significantly from final figures once employers retroactively submit binding payout requests. Legal adjustments to entitlement rules or maximum claim durations frequently introduce structural breaks, changing eligibility criteria overnight. A primary analytical error involves treating this series as a direct leading indicator for imminent joblessness, as the scheme explicitly aims to prevent layoffs and facilitate immediate reintegration once operational conditions stabilize.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this metric count the number of affected companies or individual workers?
- The indicator tallies the absolute number of individual employees receiving the allowance, not the number of firms applying for the scheme.
- Are these individuals considered unemployed?
- No, they maintain an active employment contract and are therefore classified as employed, even if their actual working hours are reduced to zero.
- How do retroactive claims affect the data release?
- Employers have a multi-month window to finalize their claims, meaning initial data points are heavily reliant on early notifications and undergo extensive retroactive revisions.