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The Kurzarbeit model (flexible work) was discussed with employers and trade unions, but was also presented to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labor, but there are fears on the government side that it could not be implemented, the president of the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce (AHK Romania), Dragos Anastasiu stated on Thursday.
"I would like to tell you that we are facing a national premiere. Why am I telling you this? Not because we, at AHK, have been discussing Kurzarbeit for almost three months and the need to implement this model as a recurrent model, not necessarily now, within this event. The Coalition for the Development of Romania has taken over the idea and we all agree that this model should be implemented. The CDR therefore supports this project 100%, we have discussed with the employers, the main employers, and we agree on principle. We are further discussing some details, but they are insignificant. What's more, we have discussed with the unions and it seems that at the level of the Romanian business society, trade unions, employers, things are aligned. The model was presented to the prime minister, the Labor minister and so on. We don't have a decision on the other side yet. I didn't necessarily see a big appetite and I understood there are some fears that this model could not be implemented in Romania We do not agree with this opinion. In short, it is a national premiere. Almost everyone has aligned themselves with this model," Dragos Anastasiu told a press conference.
He explained that the Kurzarbeit model does not apply at any time, but there must be an event, such as a pandemic. The model is temporary, being applied for a certain period of time.
"It is a combination between the employment contract that each employee has and furlough, as it were, as this furlough was in our case. That is, if there are no more orders and the company's revenues decrease say by 30%, with 40%, 50%, 80%, this Kurzarbeit is announced in this percentage.So I go to AJOFM, to the Ministry of Labor, and I say: 'I have 40 employees that I introduce in Kurzarbeit with this percentage. My activity dropped by 70%. For the activity that I have, of 30% let's say, I as employer pay the normal salary, taxes, and so on, 30% of the normal salary, with taxes, and so on. The other part, 70%, is partly covered by the state, as in furlough. We proposed 75%, we kept the same percentage, so assuming that someone has 1,000 euros net [salary] and the employer can still give him 30% of the initial work, he receives 300 euros from the employer. Of the other 700 euros, he receives 75% from the Romanian state, he stays at home 70% of the time, not all the time," explained Anastasiu.
The President of AHK Romania mentioned that it is important to understand that this tool is flexible, being applied day by day and employee by employee.
Dragos Anastasiu stated that it remains to be discussed with the Government and Parliament, so that the measure can be implemented.
