Many companies are struggling in the current economic climate, many struggle for survival, realising that they have to carefully balance the work available and the amount of hours that they can offer to staff. These companies are torn between having to make redundancies and lay offs, but realise that putting workers on short time is causing their employees hardship. I therefore call for the government to make a provision within the benefits system for workers who are put on short time work to be able to claim minimum wage as a benefit for each lay off day to enable them to keep their lives on track during these difficult times. Proof of the short time work could be proved by employers, and even paid by employers and reclaimed if necessary.