FAQ
Status: 21.09.2021 8:51 p.m.
The patience of many health ministers is at the end: Those who have to go into quarantine without vaccination should no longer be compensated for loss of earnings. What has been the case so far – and what should change?
The first federal states are on the verge of discontinuing the replacement benefits for those workers who have to go into quarantine without vaccination. Tomorrow, the health ministers want to discuss a line that is as uniform as possible. The idea has prominent advocates – an end to the compensation is under discussion no later than October 11th. A draft for the deliberations gives an insight into what could change. An overview of important questions and answers.
Which cases of quarantine are you talking about?
If an infection is suspected, for example as a contact person for infected people, the health department can order that you have to go into quarantine – and not be able to go to the office or the company. However, this is becoming an increasingly important issue for people who have not yet been vaccinated. Quarantine requirements usually do not apply to fully vaccinated people.
Who has received the compensation so far?
So far, employees who were unable to work because of the quarantine ordered and therefore suffered financial losses can receive compensation. Specifically, the employer makes advance payments when paying out – and can then apply for the money to be reimbursed by the state.
The following applies: Compensation in the full amount of the loss can be granted for six weeks, as the Federal Ministry of Health explains. At the beginning of the seventh week, compensation of 67 percent of the loss of earnings can still be granted – for a full month, however, no more than an amount of 2016 euros.
What should change now?
The Infection Protection Act already contains exceptions for non-vaccinated people. So far they just haven’t been used. Specifically, it says there is no entitlement to compensation if the ordered quarantine could have been avoided by a publicly recommended vaccination. The same applies if you have made an “avoidable trip” to a corona risk area with high numbers of infections abroad and then have to be quarantined after your return.
Why are calls for a stop being made?
The reasoning is: A vaccination offer could now be made to everyone, so there is simply no longer any need for quarantine and financial losses. Bavaria’s head of department Klaus Holetschek, who is also chairman of the health ministers’ conference, recently made it clear: If there are no health reasons against a vaccination, he ultimately no longer sees any reason for taxpayers to shoulder compensation for loss of earnings. Everyone can get vaccinated and avoid quarantine, said the CSU politician recently ARD. Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn sees it similarly.
Are there no payments in the event of an infection?
“It’s about wage compensation for contact persons of infected people in quarantine – not about continued payment of wages in the event of illness,” emphasized a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Health. “Anyone who gets infected is sick and has a right to it.” So if an employee falls ill with Corona, payments will continue to be made. This also applies to the unvaccinated.
In which federal states are there already advances?
Ultimately, the competence for the implementation lies with the federal states, although a nationwide approach is sought. Some countries have already made an advance. Baden-Württemberg was the first state to stop compensating unvaccinated people in the event of loss of earnings from September 15. The state government justified the point in time by stating that everyone had an opportunity for a vaccination by mid-September.
There are exceptions for people who cannot take advantage of a vaccination, for example for medical reasons. Rhineland-Palatinate wants to implement this on October 1st. In Bremen and North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, the governments are planning similar steps in October.
Who is criticizing an end to compensation for the unvaccinated?
The new regulation increases the pressure on the unvaccinated. The social association VdK therefore rejects the plans. The chairman of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB), Reiner Hoffmann, spoke in Deutschlandfunk of a “compulsory vaccination through the back door”. In his view, the conflict about compulsory corona vaccination will be shifted to employees and companies. Ver.di boss Frank Werneke told the newspapers of the Funke media group: “The policy says that vaccination should remain voluntary.”