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More short-term work, compensation for lost sales, replacement tips – the latest lockdown measures call for far-reaching measures, especially in tourism.
Vienna The lights go out in November in restaurants and hotels. However, employees should be able to keep their jobs as long as possible. Labor Minister Christine Aschbacher (ÖVP) presented a modification of Corona’s reduced-time work on Sunday together with the social partners.
What is new is that employees do not have to work 30 percent, as is currently regulated in part-time work phase 3, but only ten percent, as was the case with the spring closure. Since the calculation period is longer than just one month (the current short-term work model runs until the end of March 2021), employees can stay home in November. Example: If, for example, a restaurant that closed in November is operating at 20 percent in December, you have reached the lower limit for both months. Employees receive 80 to 90 percent (for low earners) of their salary.
Flat rate tip possible
Keeping employment is the top priority, Aschbacher stressed. “Short-time work must be used before layoffs.” In the spring, 1.3 million jobs were saved. So far, the federal government has paid five billion euros for short-term jobs up to and including September. At the end of September, almost 300,000 people were still working part-time.
Companies affected by the November lockdown will now receive up to 80 percent of the turnover for the same month last year as compensation. Payments should still flow in November, but only against a job guarantee.
There should also be a replacement for lost tips. ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian pledged € 100 net per month from AMS to all employees in the restaurant and hospitality sector covered by the flat rate of tip.
The vacation hotel industry, which will be closed in many places in November before the winter business begins, is likely to benefit little from the new short-term job. As a seasonal industry, workers will only be hired on short notice when there is hope for holiday guests, says Wifo economics expert Josef Baumgartner. However, in the catering industry, short-time work can cope with many things, it is questionable whether companies believe they will reach earlier sales levels in the future and need so many employees.
Christmas sales hope
Wifo anticipates that the tourism sector will suffer until February and March. Even without more restrictive measures, a quarter fewer overnight stays are expected next winter. In the case of an eight-week closure, as assumed in the pessimistic risk scenario, almost a total failure (-95 percent) is assumed at the end of the Christmas school holidays and then a gradual increase in occupancy to two thirds in February. After a four-week lockdown, as now prescribed, the hope of the Christmas business lives on.
The trade association is also vehemently insisting on new aid due to the November closure, even if it is now allowed to keep it open. “But when the catering business is not open and only a few people are on the streets because they are at the head office, we also lose frequency and sales,” says President Rainer Will. In addition to the required acute aid and the fixed cost subsidy, a “loss compensation” is therefore required. The head of ÖGB, Katzian, wants a 1000 euro voucher for commerce and gastronomy for the employees, which can still be exchanged in December. “So the Christkindl is happy too.”
