Apply for extra work winter allowance as a supplementary benefit to seasonal short-time allowance

If your company belongs to the construction industry or has the same status and your employees work in a weather-dependent job, you can receive additional winter pay under certain conditions and pay it to your employees.

The additional expenses winter allowance is paid as a supplementary benefit for eligible hours worked for employees who are employed in a weather-dependent workplace. A workplace is weather-dependent if employees are exposed to the weather, for example snowfall, rain or frost.

The additional expenses winter allowance is limited to companies

• the building trade,
• the scaffolding trade,
• the roofing trade and
• gardening and landscaping.

Your employees are entitled to EUR 1.00 per hour worked in a weather-dependent workplace.

As an employer, you can apply for the additional expenses winter allowance for the period from December 15 to the last calendar day of February. The number of eligible working hours is

• up to 90 working hours in December,
• up to 180 working hours in January and February.

You only receive additional expenses winter allowance for employees in commercial employment. These are employees whose employment contracts cannot be terminated for weather-related reasons during the bad weather period under the collective agreements. As the collective agreements are generally binding, this applies to all industrial employees in the sector. Salaried employees and foremen are not entitled.

• Application for seasonal short-time allowance (S-Kug) and supplementary benefits
• Settlement List for Seasonal Short-Time Allowance (S-Kug) and Supplementary Benefits - Attachment to Application for Benefits

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: No
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: Yes

• You submit the application for
  • Employees whose employment cannot be terminated for weather-related reasons during the bad weather period.
  • Hours worked at a weather-dependent workplace in the period from December 15 to the last calendar day of February.
• Your company
  • belongs to the building trade, scaffolding trade, roofing trade or gardening and landscaping trade.
  • employs at least 1 employee.
  • is obliged to pay the winter employment levy.

• Appeal: Further information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in the notification of your application
• Legal action before the social court

You can apply for the additional work allowance in writing or online. You can also use the KEA procedure ("Electronic acceptance of short-time allowance documents").

If you want to apply for the additional expenses winter allowance in writing:

• You calculate the pay and the additional expenses winter allowance.
• You pay the pay and the additional expenses winter allowance to your employees and pay social security contributions.
• You apply retroactively each month to the relevant office of the Federal Employment Agency for reimbursement of the additional expenses winter allowance. To do this, you submit
  • Application for seasonal short-time allowance
  • Settlement list
• The Federal Employment Agency will check your application and the payroll list.
• If your application is approved, you will receive the additional expenses winter allowance as a bank transfer.
• After the end of the bad weather period, the Employment Agency will check the statements you have submitted as part of a final audit and, if necessary, correct the approved additional expenses winter allowance.

If you want to apply for the additional expenses winter allowance online:

• Go to the "eServices for companies" portal on the Federal Employment Agency's website.
• Log in with your user ID and call up the application for seasonal short-time allowance.
• Complete the application, upload the payroll list and submit the application.
• The employment agency will check your application and your documents. You will receive notification of the decision on your application from the Employment Agency.
• If your application is approved, you will receive the additional expenses winter allowance as a bank transfer.
• After the end of the bad weather period, the Employment Agency will check the statements you have submitted as part of a final audit and, if necessary, correct the approved additional expenses winter allowance.

If you want to use KEA for the application for seasonal short-time allowance and the associated payroll list:

• Use certified payroll software that supports transmission via KEA.
• Send your application from your payroll software to the employment agency.

Your application will usually be processed within 15 working days.

There are no costs involved.: Fee free of charge