Employee Transfer (Support for Transfer Companies)

This funding program targets small and medium-sized enterprises in North Rhine-Westphalia that are facing economic difficulties or are threatened by insolvency and need to reduce staff. The goal is to open up new professional perspectives for affected employees through specific counseling and support, and to promote their integration into the labor market.

Personnel and material costs incurred within the framework of the work of transfer companies are funded. The focus is on counseling and support services that contribute to the labor market integration of employees who are threatened by unemployment.

Funding is provided as a grant in the form of co-financing. The amount of the grant is up to 80 percent of the eligible expenses for personnel and material cost flat rates, with fixed monthly maximum amounts per position.

Applicant operators of transfer companies must meet certain legal and administrative requirements, including proof of eligibility of the transferring company, conclusion of a transfer social plan, and submission of an employment-oriented project concept. No income is to be generated from the project activity.

The application process is two-stage and requires preparatory coordination with various actors. Approval is granted by the competent district government after a positive funding decision by the NRW Ministry of Labour.

The legal basis for the funding program is the ESF Funding Guideline 2021–2027 of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, which is supplemented by EU regulations and other national aid rules. This guideline regulates funding from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Just Transition Fund (JTF).