You can apply for short-time working allowance in writing or online. However, you can also use KEA (Kurzarbeitergeld-Dokumente elektronisch annehmen) if necessary.

The procedure is in two stages: first you report the loss of working hours, then you submit the application.

If you want to apply for short-time working allowance in writing:

• You give your employees notice of the short-time working. A works agreement is often concluded with the works council. If there is no works council, you must obtain the consent of all employees who will be affected by short-time working.
• You notify the competent office of the employment agency in writing of the short-time working (notification of loss of working hours).
• The employment agency checks the notification and decides whether short-time working allowance can be granted.
• You calculate the monthly wage and salary payments as well as the short-time working allowance
• You pay the wages for hours worked and the short-time working allowance for hours not worked to your employees and pay the social security contributions.
• You apply for reimbursement of the short-time working allowance retroactively each month at the responsible office of the Employment Agency (application for short-time working allowance and payroll list).
• The employment agency checks the application and the payroll list and transfers the approved short-time working allowance.
• Once the short-time work has been completed, the employment agency checks the submitted statements and, if necessary, corrects the approved short-time work allowance.

If you want to apply for short-time working allowance online:

• You submit the notification of loss of working hours, the application for short-time working allowance and any other documents via the Federal Employment Agency's "eServices" online portal.
• The remaining procedural steps are the same as the written procedure.

If you want to use KEA (accept short-time working allowance documents electronically) for the application for short-time working allowance and the associated payroll list:

• You will need certified payroll software that supports transmission using KEA.
• In this case, you can transmit your application for short-time working allowance and the corresponding payroll list to the Employment Agency fully digitized and securely from your payroll software.
• It is not possible to transmit the notification of loss of working hours via KEA.

You will receive short-time allowance at the earliest from the calendar month in which the Federal Employment Agency receives your notification of the loss of working hours.