Bridging allowance
In Germany, a bridging allowance generally refers to a benefit to employees who have been made redundant for operational reasons and who should be able to switch to another job. Such a benefit is generally specified in a collective agreement.
The best-known bridging allowance and the only benefit that is consistently referred to as this is the bridging allowance for civilian employees of the Allied troops stationed in Germany in West Germany and West Berlin. This is intended to alleviate social hardships that arise from the fact that civilian jobs are no longer available due to the withdrawal of the Allied troops from Germany and, in particular, those affected are supported in the transition to employment in the private sector. This service is not financed by the employer, but from federal funds.
Bridging allowance is only granted to those who at the time of dismissal:
- Is 40 years or older
- have at least ten years of service
- has been employed for at least one year with a weekly working week of at least 18 hours
- has lived in Germany for the past five years, with special regulations for cross-border commuters from the EU
- cannot take up any other reasonable employment with the Allied troops
, A prerequisite is also that labor income obtained or certain income compensation ( unemployment , unemployment benefits , sick pay , injury benefit , maternity pay , transfer Kurzarbeitergeld ) receives. The bridging allowance is only intended to increase other benefits to the level of work with the Allied troops, but is not intended to be an independent contribution to subsistence.
The duration of the benefit is graded according to age and number of years of employment; it is at least two years and can also be provided for an unlimited period in the case of long-term employment and old age. However, the benefit ends in any case as soon as there is an entitlement to an old-age pension (also with deductions) from the statutory pension insurance or private life insurance, a pension is drawn due to full disability or the employee is dismissed from a new employment relationship without notice.
Certain benefits are offset against the bridging allowance, such as Christmas and vacation pay , severance payments and vacation allowances , pensions from the statutory pension insurance and accident insurance, other benefits (e.g. pensions from a third country) and part-time or voluntary income.
Bridging allowance is not included in the calculation of unemployment benefit II as income.