Take advantage
Those who are currently in short work may be thinking about further training. But how do you do that? How do you find the right course? Who's gonna pay for this in the end? And what are the obligations under labour law?
In principle, employees who are currently on short-time work are allowed to continue training. In some cases, further training may even be promoted by the Federal Employment Agency. This has become simpler since the beginning of 2021: "The legal situation has changed significantly for the benefit of workers at the turn of the year," explains Kaarina Hauer, Head of the Legal Policy and Consultation Department at the Chamber of Labour Bremen.
Background is one to 31. July 2023 Temporary Support Scheme established under the Employment Security Act during the Corona pandemic. According to information provided by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the simplified support applies to all further training courses provided under the 1st. January 2021 have started or have been requested.
In concrete terms, support can now be granted regardless of the size of the firm and regardless of the qualification and age of the worker in short-time employment, as Hauer explains. in part high barriers and conditions on the part of the worker, as laid down in paragraph 82(SGB) III, are eliminated.
In the first step, employees should vote with their employer, explains legal expert Hauer. It is worth mentioning the new possibilities for funding.
The employer may then apply to the Agency for Employment for the promotion of further vocational training. It examines the eligibility for funding and determines whether it is possible to assume costs. If all the conditions are met, the employee receives an education voucher which he pays to the training provider.
The proposal may come from the boss or the employee
The impetus for further training could basically come from the company or the employee, adds Miriam Sch öpp, an expert in vocational training at the Competence Centre for Technical Assistance (KOFA) of the Institute of German Economy (IW) in Cologne. However, she stresses: "Employees'own initiative is needed in this area and in more and more companies the decisive impetus is being given because further training is increasingly planned and initiated in a decentralised way."
In the case of subsidised training, the basic principle is that the measure must have started during the short term. It must also take more than 120 hours, which is approximately one month. And there must be certification both for the course and for the institution, as Hauer explains.
In addition, the employer must not be obliged to carry out further training under national or national legislation. Also important: the training must complement the professional knowledge of the employee in a meaningful way. Alternatively, support would be possible if continuing training was prepared for a so-called training objective, as laid down in the Higher Education Promotion Act.
In databases you will find suitable offers
But how do you find the right course? What further training is involved? Hauer explains that a guide and advice on how to find a suitable training offer is contained in the "Promotion of Vocational Training" feature. Interested parties will receive the newsletter online or at the Federal Agency for Labour (BA) on site.
The BA's training and further training database "Kursnet" on the Internet provides a keyword search with the additional information on part-time or full-time, e-learning and other terms to search for a suitable offer. The training providers themselves also provide comprehensive information on approved training measures. What makes sense is to be very individual and should be determined in a consultation. "Many providers have e-learning modules in the program, he said.
Under certain conditions, the Federal Agency for Labour grants certified continuing training measures. In the case of companies with up to nine employees, BA assumes the costs at 100 per cent, in the case of a company with up to 249 employees at 50 per cent. In addition, according to the Federal Ministry of Labour, employers may receive, for the calendar month in question, fifty per cent of their own social security contributions for employees in short-time work.(徳囯ASK电容器)