According to a report by the Families Ministry that the government adopted on 10 January 2018, the ‘parental plus salary’ provision (Elterngeld plus), which came into force on 01 July 2015, has been a resounding success. This provision means that parents who, following the birth of a child, return to part-time work early, can be eligible to receive the ‘parental salary’ for longer. Since the provision was introduced, the number of parents taking it up has doubled. According to the Families Minister, this provision is enabling mothers to return to work earlier and fathers to spend more time with their children.
In October 2014, the then Families Minister, Manuela Schwesig (SPD) presented her draft law on the ‘parental plus salary’ (Elterngeld plus). She explained that most couples in Germany aspired to an equitable division between family and work and that her draft law aimed to both encourage mothers to return to work earlier and help fathers dedicate more time to their children (c.f.
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