SPD women have proposed introducing a family start time to counter proposed cuts to parental benefits. According to a resolution that The Spiegel reported on, the proposed reductions introduced by Minister Prien are considered a “step backward in gender equality policy.” The core issue stems from the fact that the cuts would effectively reduce the twelve months currently utilized by the mother in many families down to nine months.
To maintain the current parental allowance system in the short term, the socialists demand the introduction of a four-week family start leave. Under this proposal, partners would be entitled to four weeks of unpaid leave compensated at full wages following the birth of a child. They suggest funding this benefit through a contribution system that would involve employers. The resolution states the conviction that employers must contribute to a country that is “family-friendly and promotes the birth of children,” emphasizing that children are the future employees of the nation.
The SPD asserts that a family start leave would not place an excessive burden on companies. Felix Döring, an SPD member of the Budget Committee, informed The Spiegel that a company with 100 employees would need to contribute an average of about 400 euros per month into the contribution scheme, challenging critics by asking: “Show me a company of that size that would be overwhelmed by it.”
