You can apply for the reimbursement of social security contributions for recipients of seasonal short-time allowance in writing or online. However, you can also use KEA (Kurzarbeitergeld-Dokumente elektronisch annehmen) if necessary.

If you want to apply for the benefit in writing:

• You calculate the pay and the seasonal short-time allowance.
• You pay the pay and the seasonal short-time allowance to your employees and pay social security contributions.
• You apply for reimbursement of the social security contributions retroactively each month at the responsible office of the Employment Agency (application for seasonal short-time allowance and payroll list).
• The employment agency checks the application and the payroll list. If your application is approved, you will be reimbursed the social security contributions.
• After the end of the bad weather period, the employment agency will check the submitted statements as part of a final audit and correct the approved benefits if necessary.

If you want to apply for benefits online:

• Call up the "eServices" portal on the Federal Employment Agency's website.
• Log in with your user ID and call up the application for seasonal short-time allowance.
• Complete the application, upload the payroll list and send the application.
• The employment agency will check your application and your documents. You will receive notification of the decision on your application from the Employment Agency.
• The remaining steps in the procedure are the same as the written procedure.

If you want to use the KEA benefit:

• You will need certified payroll software that supports transmission via KEA.
• In this case, you can transmit your application and the corresponding payroll list to the Employment Agency fully digitized and securely from your payroll software.