Temporary layoffs reduce company costs, prop up economy

Re-employment: Former Scandinavian Airlines flight attendant Mathilda Malm learns basic skills to assist in nursing homes and hospitals in Stockholm. The airline has announced the temporary layoff of up to 10,000 employees. With the help of a foundation, it is one of several airlines offering former staff the chance to work on the front line of the pandemic. — AP

BRUSSELS: Temporary unemployment schemes operating across Europe could struggle to save the jobs of leisure and travel sector workers facing drawn-out or partial recoveries from the Covid-19 pandemic, even if they help industries that rebound quickly.

Short-term unemployment or furlough schemes have taken in a quarter of Britain’s workforce, nearly two-thirds of those employed by France’s private sector and many millions across Europe.