BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Many large corporations are currently holding back on the new relief bonus for their employees. In a survey conducted by Deutsche Presse-Agentur, most companies stated they intend to wait for the specific regulations to be finalized. None of the respondents were willing to commit to paying the proposed bonus of up to 1,000 euros beforehand. In some cases, the proposal met with criticism.
As energy and other prices have surged following the conflict in Iran, the federal government proposed that employers be allowed to pay such a crisis bonus to employees tax- and duty-free. The drugstore chain Rossmann immediately announced it would pay a bonus to all employees as soon as the decision becomes legally binding - typically 500 euros, with 250 euros for sales assistants.
Thyssenkrupp: Not effective
None of the companies surveyed by dpa followed this example; reactions ranged primarily from cautious to critical. "From a corporate perspective, it is not effective to place additional lump-sum payments at the center of the energy price debate," stated industrial group ThyssenKrupp. Bosch Human Resources Director Stefan Grosch said during the presentation of the group's financial results: "The law is not yet in place. As such, once it is available, we will review it."
Like Bosch, many companies want to wait for the federal government's concrete regulations. These include automakers Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, industrial group Siemens, commercial vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck, energy utility Eon, defense contractor Rheinmetall, and electronics retailer MediaMarktSaturn. Airport operator Fraport, Lufthansa, and Deutsche Börse have also not yet reached a decision. Food retailers Edeka and Aldi Nord referred inquiries to the German Retail Federation (HDE).
Retail: Many cannot meet expectations
According to the industry association, it is not yet possible to foresee how many retail companies will pay the bonus. The association views the measure critically. Managing Director Stefan Genth said that expectations are being raised among employees that many companies cannot fulfill due to the difficult economic starting position.
The Otto Group announced it would review the government's regulation once it is specifically formulated, while electronics retailer Expert referred to ongoing internal consultations. "We will examine whether and in what form a potential bonus can be implemented as soon as a concrete legal framework is available," said a spokesperson for the Rewe Group. Automotive supplier Continental expressed a similar sentiment.
Government: Bonus regulation to be implemented as quickly as possible
According to deputy government spokesperson Steffen Meyer, internal government coordination on the relief bonus is underway. It is intended to come into force as quickly as possible. Discussions also involve extending the incentive period, originally planned for 2026, into the year 2027.
Consumer goods group Henkel stated that it generally welcomed the federal government's focus on various relief measures. "We will look at the recently decided relief bonus internally and therefore cannot yet comment specifically."
Tui: Companies have hardly any room to breathe
Travel group Tui, referring to a post by CEO Sebastian Ebel on the LinkedIn platform, struck a different tone: "An additional bureaucratic hurdle every week. And on top of that, a potential 1,000 euro tax-free payment per employee from the federal government at the expense of German companies, which already have hardly any room to breathe. Does no one in charge realize what the situation in Germany is like anymore?"
Other companies declined to comment entirely, including logistics group DHL (whose domestic mail business is Deutsche Post), Deutsche Telekom, automaker Opel, and Deutsche Bahn.
Significant reservations among SMEs
There is also currently little prospect of the bonus for employees in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to a flash survey by the Federal Association of Medium-Sized Businesses, only one-fifth of the more than 2,000 companies surveyed can imagine adding the crisis bonus. Half have already decided against it, as reported by ZDF. The German Hotel and Restaurant Association stated that many of its member companies would not be able to afford the bonus./bf/DP/zb
