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Participation in the government’s partial unemployment programme has declined markedly since the covid-19 lockdown has been lifted. Franz Fayot, the economy minister (LSAP), chairs the Economic Committee (Comité de conjuncture), which reviews applications for the scheme on a month-by-month basis. Library picture: Franz Fayot, seen speaking a political event, 29 January 2020. Photo credit: Matic Zorman/Maison Moderne 

The government’s Economic Committee (Comité de conjuncture) approved 2,966 requests from employers to subsidise their payrolls during the month of September. That is down from 3,162 employers in August. 119 applications were denied.

43.5% of approved companies were in the hospitality, tourism or event sectors, the economy ministry said on 26 August.

The short-time working scheme lets companies reduce the number of hours employees work each week, with the government making up 80% of the shortfall in earnings.

The economy ministry said that the equivalent of 15,690 full-time employees will benefit from the scheme in September, down from 25,213 employees in August.

Government figures showed that at least 361,000 employees--or roughly three out of four Luxembourg workers--have benefitted from the partial unemployment programme since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.

The economy ministry said companies can file applications to participate in the scheme in October via the government’s Myguichet web portal between 1 and 12 September.