Photo by zabanski / Shutterstock.com

Kurzarbeit is a form of public insurance where, in times of crisis, employers can reduce hours instead of laying off large numbers of employees, while the government provides funds to replace the income of workers, for example, 60-80% of an employee’s average wage.

The program would extend up to nine months from the onset of a crisis. Seznam Zprávy noted that the proposed scheme may be needed in the fall, especially in the hard-hit manufacturing sector in the Czech Republic, and could be implemented as early as September.