The scheme allowing companies to temporarily lay off staff and get government help to pay their wages is to be extended for a few weeks, the Financieele Dagblad reports on Thursday.

Social affairs minister Piet Hein Donner will propose the extension at tomorrow’s cabinet meeting, the paper says.
The scheme, known as the wtv, is open to companies which can prove their turnover has gone down by 30% over the previous two months because of the credit crisis.
Donner said the deadline for applications would be extended because many companies had not been hit until December.