The government-planned relief bonus is being met with hesitant receptiveness from the majority of DAX-listed companies, according to a survey conducted by “Bild am Sonntag” across all companies featured in Germany’s most important stock index.
The Commerzbank, for instance, had already declined the crisis compensation, which allows companies to pay up to €1,000 to employees tax and fee-free. A spokesperson for Germany’s second-largest private bank informed “Bild am Sonntag” that, “Currently, we do not plan to implement such a bonus”. The bank explained that, “From a corporate perspective, introducing a relief bonus involves financial expenditures that can represent an additional economic challenge”. Furthermore, the spokesperson noted that the economy is currently in a phase where “many companies face cost pressure across industries”.
Other major corporations also showed reluctance regarding the bonus, as the survey revealed among all 40 DAX companies. BASF, a chemical group, stated that they would “carefully examine and evaluate” the issue once the federal government establishes the concrete legal framework. Similar statements were made by other firms, including sports goods manufacturer Adidas and online retailer Zalando. VW confirmed that they had “taken note of the government’s proposal” according to a spokesperson, while BMW stated they would “examine” the proposal but pointed to ongoing wage negotiations.
More vocal criticism of the bonus came from the digital conglomerate and new DAX entrant, Scout24. A spokesperson told “Bild am Sonntag” that while they would “naturally consider” such a relief bonus, they were critical of state relief measures being implemented via voluntary company benefits. They argued that, in their view, the support should be targeted and directly address where the strain is occurring.