The Corona model has expired and the new short-time working rules have been in force in Austria since the beginning of this month. When companies apply for these, the employment service takes an even closer look than before. In Upper Austria, independent auditors are even hired for this purpose.
Making the world of commercial vehicles electric and safer than ever before – these were the goals of Volta Trucks. The dreams of the Swedish electric truck brand have been in ruins for a week: bankruptcy proceedings are underway.
The 150 employees who worked for Volta at Steyr Automotive are at home until further notice. “We are also investigating the possibility of shortening working hours,” reveals Florian Mayrhofer, who manages the factory together with Günther Heiden.
After the preparatory conversations, little remains
During the pandemic, short-time work became the most important tool to keep unemployment low. The Corona version of the model has been phased out since October 1 and new conditions apply. And these ensure that only a few companies submit a concrete application after the preliminary discussion with the employment services.
“We currently have a handful of requests that are being investigated,” confirms Iris Schmidt, Director of AMS Upper Austria. External expertise is also sought for the audit, Schmidt reveals: independent auditors are hired.
WIFO expert Peter Huber gives the labor market in Upper Austria good marks. “However, there is still potential for increased employment among women and the elderly,” the economist said.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
