Wpływ pracy skróconej na stabilizację zatrudnienia w Republice Federalnej Niemiec

Short-time work as an instrument of the labour market policy has been used with a different intensity in the post-war economic history of Germany. However, this instrument played a special role in a particularly wide scope after the reunification, when East German companies had to adjust to new economic conditions. The actual economic crisis contributed to an increase in demand for short-time work on the part of companies on a hitherto unprecedented scale. In the year 2009 on average 1.2 million employees have been affected by this type of hiring in order to stabilize employment. The actions of the German government concerning this were of particular importance because a relief regarding the access of short-time work has been introduced, the law has been amended and a wide financial support has been guaranteed. However, the government had to pay a high price for the relief as it raises the spiral of internal indebtedness, that can be reflected in a smaller economic growth in the future and it increases the financial burden of further generations as well as limits the scope of actions of the financial policy.