Germany: ruling coalition broadens access to and the duration of partial unemployment alongside mandatory training

Germany’s ruling coalition has broadly responded to demands by the auto and metallurgy sectors’ social partners as laid out at the Federal Chancellery, during the ‘Auto Summit’ on 15 January 2020. Going forward, companies operating in the auto and auto-related sectors that are affected by ‘structural transition’ will now be able to double the length of partial unemployment measures from 12 months to 24 months. Support for and access to on-going lifelong training will also be extended for the companies in those sectors affected.