On Tuesday 23 August 2022, Luxembourg's Ministry of the Economy and the Ministry of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy, clarified that in case of an future emergency, the companies whose activities will be impacted by a restriction imposed by the government on their gas consumption, will be able to resort to partial unemployment.
In the context of the development of the current energy crisis, the Conjuncture Committee analysed at its meeting the question of how to resolve a situation of underemployment in companies which, following a shortage of gases, must temporarily reduce or stop their activities.
With regard to a possible reduction or stoppage of production by a large energy-consuming company following a government decision on the basis of an emergency or even load shedding plan imposing reduced consumption of gas, a proposal from Minister of Economy, Franz Fayot, and the Minister for Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy, Georges Engel, was selected with the social partners meeting within the Economic Committee. The proposal of the two ministers provides that if such a scenario arises, with an impact on the employment of employees, the companies concerned may resort to partial unemployment in order to maintain employment and consequently, in order to avoid dismissals.
Ministers Fayot and Engel stressed that the situation is certainly not yet such, but that must be prepared for any eventuality and already reassure companies and employees.
