A proposal for changes to parental leave benefits has been put forward by the Social Association of Germany, with the organization calling for a significant increase in the minimum and maximum amounts of the benefit. The association’s chair, Michaela Engelmeier, stated that the minimum parental leave benefit should be increased to 400 euros and the maximum to 2,400 euros, with the amounts to be adjusted annually based on the development of wages.
The organization also advocates for the improvement of the tiered system, suggesting that the parental leave benefit should be increased to 80 percent of the net income that would have been earned, but only if both parents apply for and take equal parental leave. Currently, parents receive an average of 65 percent of their previous net income as parental leave, up to a maximum of 1,800 euros per month, with a minimum of 300 euros per month. Those who earn less receive a proportionally higher parental leave benefit.
The Future Forum for Families, a initiative, has also proposed new regulations for the allocation of partner months. Currently, each parent must take at least two months of parental leave to be eligible for the full 14-month period. Most fathers who take parental leave take exactly these two months. The organization is calling for a change, stating that both parents should be eligible for at least five months of parental leave, with the remaining four months to be divided flexibly.
The organization’s chair, Britta Altenkamp, also suggested that the parental leave benefit could be paid out independently of income in the future, with the same amount paid to all parents, regardless of their profession or income. This, she said, would promote equality between parents and families with different social backgrounds, as long as the amount is reasonable and not too low, which could lead to the mother staying at home and being the primary caregiver.
On the other hand, the head of the Munich Ifo Institute, Clemens Fuest, has expressed opposition to changes to the parental leave benefit, arguing that a more effective way to support families is to strengthen the compatibility of work and family life, such as by extending the opening hours of childcare facilities or reforming the taxation of married couples. The coalition parties, the Union and the SPD, have agreed to develop the parental leave benefit further, with a focus on encouraging fathers to take more parental leave and receive a longer parental leave benefit as a result. The parental leave benefit has lost around 40 percent of its purchasing power since its introduction in 2007.