3) Explanation & FAQ (Short, clear, helpful)

This calculator provides a quick, understandable estimate of Short-Time Work Allowance (Kug) for a single calendar month. The core idea is "Net Earnings Difference": You compare your usual monthly net (Target Net) with the net you still receive from the remaining salary at reduced working hours (Actual Net). The replacement rate is applied to the loss (Target minus Actual): 60% without a child in the household or 67% with at least one child in the household. This results in your Kug amount, which your employer pays out via payroll.

How to use this Calculator: (1) Enter your usual monthly net – ideally the amount that regularly lands in your account (excluding one-time bonuses, back payments, expenses, or tax refunds). (2) Set the work reduction: 20% means about a fifth of your working time is lost (you work about 80%); 100% corresponds to "Zero Short-Time Work" (Kurzarbeit Null). (3) Choose "Child in Household" if at least one child lives with you for whom child benefits (Kindergeld) are received. (4) Click "Calculate". You will see Remaining Salary, Kug, and your projected Total Net – plus a replacement rate graphic that shows at a glance how much of the normal net remains.

What the Calculator does internally (in simple terms): It takes your Target Net and reduces it proportionally to the short-time work rate to estimate an Actual Net. Example: $2,000 Net and 50% work reduction → estimated Actual Net $1,000. The difference is $1,000. From this, Kug is calculated: 60% (= $600) or 67% (= $670). Total Net would then be $1,600 or $1,670. This allows you to quickly compare scenarios and recognize at what loss your fixed costs become critical.

Important note on accuracy: In official payroll accounting, calculations are not done "freehand" with your personal net, but with flat-rate net earnings. For this, Target Pay and Actual Pay (usually gross, excluding one-time payments) are determined and converted into flat-rate net values using tables or programs from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). This calculator deliberately calculates from the employee's perspective with your known net and a proportional reduction based on work loss. This is excellent for planning, household budgeting, and "What if?" scenarios, but may differ from the exact employer value – e.g., in cases of highly fluctuating allowances, one-time payments, very high incomes, or special tax constellations.

Tip for even more value: Ask your company if there is a supplement to Kug (collective agreement/company agreement). If yes, you can simply add the supplement to your Total Net after calculation. And think about Taxes: Short-time work allowance is usually tax-free in Germany, but can increase your tax rate via the progression clause (Progressionsvorbehalt). Those in short-time work for longer periods should plan reserves for a possible tax back payment.