After the debate about a “lifestyle” type of part‑time work, the union is now set on testing whether the existing part‑time entitlement in Germany produces unintended incentives. According to the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday edition), this stance comes from the final draft of the Part‑Time Application that will be presented at the federal party conference on February 20-21 in Stuttgart. The term “lifestyle” that the Mittelstandsunion (MIT) had used no longer appears in the document.
The application, titled “Organising Part‑Time Entitlements – Strengthening Employment” declares that the parties want to examine whether state regulations and the resulting entitlements create improper incentives, whether they unnecessarily impede higher employment levels, or whether there is a lack of motivation for greater economic independence. At the same time, it stresses that legitimate reasons such as child‑raising, care responsibilities, or training must not be undermined.
Concerning the combination of employment and transfer benefits, the proposal states that a claim to part‑time work must be well‑grounded. “Persons who are employable, receive benefits, have no care or care‑giver obligations, and for whom full‑time employment is feasible should in principle support themselves through full‑time work” it says.
In the resolution draft, the CDU explicitly stresses the necessity of an orderly and targeted part‑time entitlement as part of a balanced labour‑market policy. The “Rheinische Post” reports that the CDU’s application commission has recommended adopting the proposal while forwarding it to the party’s committees and the Bundestag caucus.