Schaeffler Severance Pay (Abfindung) 2026: Amount, Partial Retirement & Rights

Status October 2026: how far have the job cuts progressed?

Of the planned 4,700 roles, 3,715 have been reached (as of 30 September 2026). According to the group, contractual agreements are already in place for the remaining 985 roles, so the target is now expected to be met by the end of 2028 rather than the end of 2029. The driver is the partial retirement programme launched in August 2026: 1,300 employees were planned for, but around 1,800 from the 1971 birth cohort and older have signed up. That’s according to CEO Klaus Rosenfeld, speaking in Herzogenaurach (dpa via inFranken.de, 17 October 2026). The expected savings of €290 million are set to be exceeded by around 20%.

What this means for you depends on your birth year. Born in 1971 or earlier: partial retirement is the route Schaeffler favours, and it was clearly attractive enough to exceed its quota. Weigh partial retirement against a termination agreement before committing: partial retirement preserves your pension entitlements and avoids a benefit suspension period for unemployment benefit, while severance pay arrives immediately but is paid once, in full, and taxed accordingly.

Born after 1971: for you, the termination agreement remains the route, and this is where the figure of 985 matters. Once the quota is fully allocated on paper, you’re no longer negotiating against an open programme but as an individual case. So ask for written confirmation of the basis for any offer before you agree to it. Compulsory redundancies remain ruled out under the social plan, so there’s no time pressure from a looming dismissal.

Job cuts at Schaeffler: what’s happening?

Following the merger with Vitesco and amid weakness in the combustion-engine business, Schaeffler announced “structural measures” in November 2024: around 4,700 roles gross across Europe, including about 2,800 in Germany; the net figure is around 3,700 (Schaeffler press release, 5 November 2024; Automobilwoche). Implementation runs mainly from 2025 to 2027; from 2029, the measures are expected to save around €290 million per year.

Affected sites

• Ten sites in Germany plus five across Europe; two European sites are to be closed.
• Homburg (Saarland): plant closure, around 200 jobs (fachanwalt.de).
• Limbach-Oberfrohna (Saxony): according to Freie Presse, around two-thirds of employees must leave.
• Schweinfurt and other sites: further adjustments.

Voluntary programmes instead of dismissals: your starting position

Under the agreed social plan and reconciliation of interests, compulsory redundancies are ruled out; the job cuts are carried out through natural staff turnover, voluntary programmes, termination agreements and partial retirement, within the framework of the 2018 Future Agreement with IG Metall (WirtschaftsWoche). This strengthens your position: Schaeffler needs your signature. The social plan’s formula value is the floor here, individually negotiated terms are often more favourable.

Received a voluntary offer? Check it first

Things to check: the amount against the social plan formula and your profile, the risk of a benefit suspension period for unemployment benefit, the notice period (§ 158 SGB III, which can quickly reach 6–7 months for long-serving metalworkers), waiver and settlement clauses, and the tax treatment (one-fifth rule). Upload your document and the critical points are flagged within seconds, at no cost.

If you’ve been with the company for around twenty years, you can see what severance pay typically adds up to after 20 years of service.

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