The Federal government has not ruled out the possibility that employers will be given more time to pay out a planned tax- and levy-free relief bonus of up to 1,000 euros to their employees. According to a spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Finance speaking to the dpa Nachrichtenagentur on Wednesday, the legislative proposal is modeled after the inflation compensation bonus. This previous bonus could be paid out from late 2022 until the end of 2024, whereas for the new crisis bonus, only the current year has been specified as a timeframe so far. The spokesperson admitted that a longer period was planned for the inflation compensation bonus. He added that while he did not want to quote a specific law, it clearly marks the start of a legislative consultation, and it is quite possible that the timeframe will be discussed further during the parliamentary process. Furthermore, this will be discussed with social partners, an issue that is also very important to the Federal Minister of Finance. The general approach of the Federal government, as established by the decision last weekend, was to implement “immediate measures” that could take effect very quickly, according to the spokesperson. The crisis bonus is framed as a measure “through which employers and companies in this crisis can demonstrate that they are taking responsibility and supporting their employees, especially during this time”. This payout is voluntary and is not mandatory. As for whether the federal government, acting as an employer itself, will pay out the bonus, this has apparently not been decided yet. A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior, which is responsible for the public service, stated that this must be clarified within the Federal government and the coalition. Similarly, whether federal ministers will receive the bonus remains undecided. Deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille told the dpa Nachrichtenagentur that he currently “knows nothing” on this subject and therefore could offer no comment.
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