Bundesarbeitsministerin Bärbel Bas (SPD) urges the economy to improve working conditions in order to increase female employment. “Employers need to shape the workplace so that more mothers can work full-time” she said in an interview with “Bild am Sonntag”. Bas aims to increase the number of working hours in Germany, particularly by promoting more mothers to work. “Every additional worker and every additional working hour brings us closer to our goal” she emphasized.
However, in Germany, there are “women who are involuntarily trapped in part-time work” Bas pointed out. These women often want to work more but are unable to due to a lack of childcare or family-unfriendly working models. “In particular, women often work less, earn less and face the threat of poverty in old age” Bas explained. “That is unfair and we must address it.”
The government plans to introduce two measures to increase female employment: expanding childcare services and providing tax incentives for employers who encourage their employees to switch to full-time work. According to data from the Ministry of Labor, only 11% of men work part-time, while nearly 49% of women do. If the 9.3 million women currently working part-time were to increase their working hours by 10% (equivalent to an additional two hours per week), this would result in approximately half a million additional full-time jobs, according to ministry calculations. Bas believes that by implementing these measures, the government can create a more inclusive and equitable working environment for women.