City Councilman Frank notes high and rapid need for communication
(ffm) On March 18, the Fourth Coronavirus Control Ordinance had gone into effect. On Wednesday, March 25, the crisis team Corona, founded by the head of the economy Markus Frank, has already met for the second time. On this, the City Council says: "Together we want to support the smaller and medium-sized businesses as unbureaucratically as possible and thus at the same time to fight for as many jobs as possible."
The consequences, which the closure order issued by the state on the basis of the Infection Protection Act has for various businesses and facilities, are dramatic. In the second meeting of the crisis team, it was revealed by the Job Center and the Employment Agency that applications for assistance and short-time allowances are increasing significantly. Both institutions have prepared themselves in terms of personnel and organization to be able to provide assistance quickly and flexibly.
Stephanie Krömer, Managing Director of the Employment Agency reports that the newly established service number has received an additional 1000 calls. From advice requests to applications and processing, the employment agency is currently overrun. but the agency has already tripled the staff in its areas. There are also various channels available, from fax to home mailboxes, to be able to accept incoming enquiries and applications. Exact figures on applications for short-time allowance could only be given once the applications had been registered. Krömer advises all companies considering whether to apply for short-time allowance to still submit the notification online for the month of March in any case. It can be adjusted in the course of the procedure in any case, but is the basis for the short-time allowance.
For the hotel and restaurant industry, it is noted that the night supplements would not be taken into account for short-time allowance if they are tax and social security contribution-free remuneration components. This is of great concern to this sector because these supplements are an important salary component for those affected. Therefore, the consequence is likely to be that an additional application for assistance for living expenses would have to be filed with the Job Center.
Oliver Schwebel, Managing Director of the Frankfurt Economic Development Agency, states that a high proportion of mass layoff notices are currently being received, which makes it clear how difficult times are for many established companies as well.
The news that the state of Hesse is increasing the federal government's emergency aid program was received with great joy.
- For companies with up to five employees will be paid 10,000 euros emergency aid (from the federal government comes 9000 euros)
- Companies with six to ten employees will receive 20.000 euros (from the federal government come 15,000 euros)
- 30,000 euros are available for companies up to 49 employees. (The federal government does not give emergency aid for this)
For the crisis team, it is important to give the money to the companies unbureaucratically. Both the IHK and the Chamber of Crafts offered to pay out. The application details for Hesse are being finalized and should be available for application through the Kassel regional council starting Monday.
Meanwhile, the employment agency is trying to identify new business partnerships: As an example, the personnel partnership of ALDI and McDonalds was mentioned. Such cooperations would be supported in a target-oriented way. Other topics and measures discussed by the crisis team were the future suspension of the collection of the tourism contribution, applications for the reduction of advance trade tax payments on the basis of a deferral of initially six months as well as the new regulations for the short-time allowance of the Federal Employment Agency.
The crisis team will meet again on Friday, 27 March. In any case, all companies and businesses are advised to take a look at the homepage of the Economic Development http://www.frankfurt-business.net on which all offers of the state and the federal government are communicated. Councilman Frank notes, "It's especially important in these times for stakeholders to share information on an ongoing basis because quick, focused action is needed to address crises."
The participants of the crisis team are:
IHK Frankfurt, represented by President Ulrich Caspar and Chief Executive Matthias Grässle
.Handwerkskammer Frankfurt Rhein-Main, represented by President Bernd Ehinger and Chief Executive Christoph Riess
Handelsverband Hessen-Süd, represented by Joachim Stoll and Silvio Zeizinger
DEHOGA Hessen, represented by Eduard Singer and Kerstin Junghans
Agentur für Arbeit Frankfurt, represented by managing director Stephanie Krömer
Jobcenter Frankfurt, represented by Managing Director Claudia Czernohorsky-Grünberg
Association of Hessian Business Associations, represented by Managing Director Friedrich Avenarius
DGB Frankfurt Rhein-Main, represented by Regional Managing Director Philipp Jacks and Peter-Martin Cox
.Frankfurt Rhein-Main, represented by Managing Director Eric Menges
Hessen Trade & Invest, represented by Rainer Waldschmidt
City of Frankfurt am Main, represented by Mayor and City Treasurer Uwe Becker, Head of Real Estate Jan Schneider, Head of Economic Affairs Markus Frank
.Wirtschaftsförderung Frankfurt, represented by Managing Director Oliver Schwebel
Tourismus + Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main, represented by Thomas Feda
