On 13 June at a cabinet meeting of Germany's latest (CDU/CSU)/conservative-social-democrat(SPD) coalition government, and following months of debate and discussion, Social Affairs and Employment Minister Hubert Heil's first draft law has been adopted. The legislation intends for the introduction of part-time work for a temporary period starting January 2019. Thus going forward, employees in companies with a minimum of 45 staff will have the right to request their employers to transition to part-time working conditions, without providing any specific grounds, for a period of between one and five years, at the end of which they can return to their previous full time conditions. This new piece of legislation will only apply to new part-time contracts but it does also include improved provisions for those already working on a part-time basis and who are seeking a return to full-time work.
A victory for the Social Democrats. The SPD has been fighting the temporary part-time corner for years (it was part of the first ‘grand coalition’ (CDU/CSU-SPD) government program back in 2013) and in the end it has come to fruition (c.f. article No. 10645). At a cabinet session the coalition government adopted a law modifying the ‘law on part-time work and fixed term contracts’, (Teilzeit- und Befristungsgesetz – TzBfG), and going forward the change will be augmented and completed by the right
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