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Social benefits

Apply for short-time work benefits

Wage replacement benefits from the Employment Agency for employees experiencing a temporary, significant loss of work, applied for by the employer.

Wo wohnen Sie?

Damit wir Apply for short-time work benefits mit dem zuständigen Arbeitsagentur in Ihrer Stadt anzeigen können.

Oder Großstadt wählen:

Sie werden zur geführten Suche weitergeleitet – mit Kontaktdaten, Termin und nächsten Schritten für Apply for short-time work benefits.

Processing: approx. 1 monthsSuccess rate: 85.0 %
Last reviewed: August 08, 2026

Quick answer

  1. 1

    Documents you need

    Identification card or passport · Form / Application

  2. 2

    Responsible authority

    The authority of your main residence

  3. 3

    How to do it

    Apply directly online

  4. 4

    Costs

    Kostenlos – keine Gebühr für den Antrag

Find the responsible authority

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Reporting Lost Work Time

    The employer must report the loss of work in writing to the Employment Agency.

  2. 2

    Apply for short-time work benefits

    Monthly, after fees have been billed, with a billing statement.

  3. 3

    Payment to employees

    The employer pays the short-time work allowance and is reimbursed by the employment agency.

Responsible authority

The authority of your main place of residence is responsible.Find authority →

The essentials before applying

Who is eligible?

Employers for their employees subject to social security contributions in the event of a significant, temporary loss of work (e.g., a shortage of orders).

Income limit

Processing time

Nationwide: approx. approx. 1 months

Success rate

approx. 85.0 % (estimate)

Most common mistakes

  • The notice of the work stoppage was not submitted by the last day of the month in which the stoppage begins
  • Billing statement with errors, resulting in a delayed refund

Common reasons for rejection

  • Significant loss of work not sufficiently justified/proven
  • Claims for lost wages are reimbursed only after the end of the month

Alternatives

  • Check related services in the application assistant
  • Use social counselling before applying

If rejected

File a written objection within 30 days – with reasons why the decision is wrong and any missing evidence.

Related services

Questions & Answers

How much does it cost to apply for short-time work benefits?

Free—no application fee.

How long does it take to apply for short-time work benefits?

Typically about 30 business days—depending on the agency and its workload.

Freshness & source

Maintenance
Continuously reviewed & updated
Source
Bundesportal (verwaltung.bund.de)
Data quality
100 %

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