Germany: Minister for Family Affairs presents part-time system for employees willing to take care of sick parents

More and more dependent people. The young Minister for Family Affairs (32) thinks that this system is simply an answer to a need: the number of dependent people keeps increasing. They account for 2.4 million people in Germany today, and their number should reach 3.4 million in 2030. Yet, according to a survey carried out by the Allensbach German institute for the Department for Family Affairs, two thirds of active people would like to be able to take care of a sick parent at home. Since 2008, employees are allowed to take up to six months of unpaid time off to care for a relative. Now, the conservative Minister wants to take a new step, allowing employees to work part time for two years while receiving 75% of their former wages. When they come back to work, they will have to pay it off by working full-time for the same salary. This system would also allow reducing costs for the dependency-insurance, care to elderly people being much cheaper at home than at a clinic. According to her, this system would also be good for businesses, because it would help increase their long-term staff’s loyalty and improve the satisfaction and motivation of their employees.
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2008, employees are allowed to take up to six months of unpaid time off to care for a relative. Now, the conservative Minister wants to take a new step, allowing employees to work part time for two years while receiving 75% of their former wages. When they come back to work, they will have to pay it off by working full-time for the same salary. This system would also allow reducing costs for the dependency-insurance, care to elderly people being much cheaper at home than at a clinic. According

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