Work-Life-Balance Issues in Germany Recent Developments

Sozialforschungsstelle DortmundZentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung

Work-Life-Balance Issues in Germany

Recent Developments

Maresa Feldmann, TU Dortmund University Sozialforschungsstelle (sfs)Germany


Outline

Legal requirements

Different child care services in Germany

Flexible work

Attitude towards different aspects concerning work-life-balance fromparents and employers

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Maternity leave

6 weeks before birth 8 weeks after birth, 12 weeks after multiple birth and preterm births Average salary (maternity benefit 13 Euro per day maximum by

health insurance, difference to average salary paid by employer)

Parental leave

Maximum 36 months for employees (until the child’s 3rd birthday)

Option to leave for 8 years, if the employer agrees Entitlement for fathers and mothers Employees can work part-time during parental leave The employer must offer the same or a similar work place after

return

Maternity leave and parental leave


“Child benefit” 300 to 1800 € (maximum) per month

(67% of the former income) Benefit is paid during parental leave

and up to 12 months if only one parent takes the leave

It is prolonged to 14 months if both parents take parts of the leave

Single parents get the benefit for 14 months

Maternity leave and parental leave


All-day care for children at the age of 0-3 entitlement: none availability: for about 3% children in West Germany

for about 27% children in East Germany

“Kindergarten”

for children between 3 and 6 years (1/2 day/increasingly full-day) entitlement: all children availability:

for about 90% children in West Germany and nearly all children in East German

24% of this age group have all-day care; (17% in West Germany, 60% in East Germany)

Institutional child care services


Service for children at the age of 6-10Entitlement: none, but political goal to offer it to all children

“After school“-provision of care

The share of full time school children on secondary schools increase in Germany from 5,3% (2003) to 15,6% (2007)

Problem for many parents: Few day care possibilities/ support during the time of school holidays

Institutional child care services


In the child’s home (babysitter, nanny, employed by the parents)

In the home of a child minder(day mother, family daycare)

Internal day care places (company kindergartens, employ a child minder)

Other individual forms

Additional forms of child care

corbisimages.com


Flexible work - Re-entering the labour market

Every employee (in companies with at least 15 employees) has the right to demand a part-time job

The employer can reject it for organisational reasons

Entitlement to part-time work

More than 70% of establishments in Germany offer flexible working time arrangements

In addition: programmes to support the employees re-entering the

labour market after a break due to family Trainings Support in finding a job


Working-time in Germany

Part-time quota Part-time quotaAge-group

Full-time Part-time regularPart-time in marginal employment Persons in thousandsIH

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Keep in mind

Most of the part time workers are women

Who works part time has a reduced income and less money in retirement

People in part time have less carrier possibilities


The view of the employees


The view of the population

Source: bmbf: Familienfreundlichkeit im Betriebhttp://www.beruf-und-familie.de/system/cms/data/dl_data/df906b9d3dba5c26aa91c1140d5f5220/bmfsfj_allensbach_familienfreundlichkeit_betrieb.pdf, access data: 19.05.2011


The view of parents


The view of the employer


The view of the employer


There is a profound desire of mothers AND fathers to achieve a better reconciliation of work and family life

The government in Germany pushed this topic with many measures (financial support, legal regulations etc.)

But: offering family friendly working places by companies is not enshrined in laws.

Companies in Germany started to recognize that family friendly working places are an important topic in order to deal with the expected shortage if skilled labour due to demographic change. They slowly start to implement measures for a better reconciliation.

The number of day care facilities increases – but to meet the necessities more efforts are essential.

Germany walks in the right direction, but it seems that there will be a long way - changes go on too slowly.

Conclusion


Thank you for your attention

Documents

Work-Life-Balance Issues in Germany Recent Developments