Lisa Paus
Minister for Family Affairs confirms: Paid paternity leave will come in 2024
Paternity leave is intended to strengthen the bond between men and their children (symbol image)
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From next year, men should be given paid time off after having a child. This is intended to strengthen the bond with the youngsters.
The federal government wants to introduce paid paternity leave in Germany in 2024. A spokeswoman for the ministry led by the Green politician Lisa Paus confirmed a corresponding report by the Funke media group on Monday at the request of the German Press Agency. In the coming year, the corresponding legislative project should be launched, it said.
It is planned that in future partners will be able to take paid leave for two weeks after the birth of a child without having to take vacation or parental leave as has been the case up to now. The innovation would affect the second parent, i.e. in most cases the fathers – since mothers are paid paid leave for a certain period of time after childbirth anyway. According to Paus, the planned release should be anchored in the Maternity Protection Act.
“Especially in the first time after the birth, it is important that parents have time for each other and the baby,” Paus told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “It’s also important so that fathers can develop a close relationship with the child at an early age.”
Paternity leave is anchored in the coalition agreement
Paus went on to say that employers could also make an important contribution to the compatibility of family and work. According to the ministry, it is still unclear how exactly the exemption is to be financed and to what extent employers will have to contribute in the future.
The paternity leave is also anchored in the coalition agreement and was originally supposed to be implemented much earlier than 2024. The economic situation is currently difficult, especially for small and medium-sized companies, said Paus. “That’s why I want to get this important project on track next year.”
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With the project, Germany is also implementing a corresponding EU directive. It was only in September that the Commission put pressure on Brussels and initiated infringement proceedings against Germany because of the delayed implementation of the paternity leave.