Despite business leaders’ criticisms (c.f. article No. 10809), on 19 September Germany’s grand coalition government gave the green light to the Minister of Labor, Hubertus Heil’s (SPD) draft law that seeks to bolster life-long training for employees in companies being impacted by digital transformation (Qualifizierungschancengesetz). Going forward all employees whose jobs are affected by structural changes stemming from digitalization will be able to avail of current provisions boosting lifelong training, irrespective of the workers’ own education and training, age, and the size of company. In addition, workers hired for short term projects will have easier access to unemployment insurance services. Finally, as of 01 January 2019 the unemployment insurance contribution rate will fall from 3.0% to 2.5% of gross salary.
According to the Labor Minister, ‘lifelong training continues to be an essential endeavor for companies’, nonetheless as digitalization drives changes in the world of work the government must pursue an employment policy that supports employees who undertake life-long training to acquire new competences as well as better protecting workers who undertake these new forms of employment. To this end Hubertus Heil has launched an ‘offensive promoting life-long training’, which relies on three foundat
…Do you have information to share with us?