The German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs is aiming to introduce maternity protection for self-employed women starting in early 2026. Minister Karin Prien, of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), indicated that a proposal is expected to be presented to parliament in the early months of next year.
Currently, self-employed women do not have a legal entitlement to maternity protection benefits, a difference from employees. This initiative stems from a coalition agreement between the CDU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) aiming to rectify this disparity.
A key challenge lies in establishing a sustainable funding mechanism. Existing employee maternity protection is financed through employer contributions – a system currently unavailable to the self-employed. Minister Prien noted that implementing a comparable levy for self-employed individuals would represent a significant additional financial burden and thus alternative funding routes are being explored.
Alongside the maternity protection plan, the ministry is also advancing proposals to strengthen sanctions against former partners who fail to meet their child support obligations. A review of the issue is underway, with concrete proposals anticipated for the coming year.
The proposed sanctions, potentially including driving bans for non-payment of child support, are currently under legal scrutiny. Initial assessments suggest their constitutionality, though concerns remain regarding proportionality and potential adverse effects if the sanction leads to job loss for the non-paying parent. Minister Prien emphasized the need for the measures to be both impactful and proportionally balanced.
