It is estimated that 27,000 self-employed women become pregnant every year. But unlike employees, maternity leave does not apply to them. A carpenter from Osnabrück fights for more equality.
When Johanna Röh talks about her pregnancy with daughter Mila today, it’s about existential fears. Because they were a big topic alongside the anticipation of their first child.
Röh is self-employed. And that’s exactly what’s challenging: While employed pregnant women are banned from working, she had to continue working during her pregnancy. “A lot of work in carpentry is simply potentially dangerous for future life,” she says. “That scared me the whole time. I was actually worried throughout the entire pregnancy that it was too unsafe – health-wise but also financially.”
Self-employed women are not entitled to maternity leave or maternity benefit. Self-employed women who are or want to become pregnant in Germany can take out voluntary insurance. However, there is no solidarity-based maternity benefit like there is for employees.
pregnancy and Independence not planned?
Röh therefore had to pay 20,000 euros from her savings in order to be able to cut back. And that’s in addition to the fixed costs for the workshop and the fear of losing customers.
The carpenter sees this as a competitive disadvantage compared to her male colleagues. “When I became pregnant, I had the impression that this was not the case for self-employed craftswomen. That really threw me off course.”
With the birth of her daughter Mila, she submitted a petition to the Bundestag – so that all pregnant women in Germany have the same rights. The petition received the highest vote. That means: All groups consider the issue to be important.
Lower Saxony is considering Federal Council initiative
Since then there has been a lot of discussion. According to its own information, the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs surveyed 800 self-employed women and men about their experiences and needs surrounding childbirth. A spokesman said this NDR: “The most urgent need for action is for those affected to obtain the relevant information.”
He refers to the insurance option. Meanwhile, some women report that they do not receive this insurance benefit – for example because they had problems in previous pregnancies. They also criticize: Additional insurance does not show much solidarity.
In Lower Saxony, the governing parties SPD and Greens therefore want to launch a Federal Council initiative to enshrine maternity protection for the self-employed in law.
A small levy would help
In the short term, the problem could be solved with a levy without major changes to the law. To do this, all 3.6 million self-employed people in Germany would have to pay 5.30 euros a month. The Institute for SME Research in Bonn has calculated: This means that those affected could be paid their gross earned income during maternity leave periods.
“Apportionment financing for loss of earnings represents a solidarity-based solution that does not overwhelm anyone and, above all, does not distort competition between self-employed women and men,” says deputy managing director Rosemarie Kay.
But she also makes it clear that it remains difficult for women to stop working around the birth of a child. Because operating costs continue to run and customers could be lost.
Interim CEO for the period after the birth?
And that’s where Mira Jago comes into play. The founder from Hanover is demanding money from the state to pay for a replacement for the period after the birth. “A company like this is a money machine for the state and should be kept running. This secures jobs and added value.”
Jago’s agency develops apps, among other things, to digitize administration in Germany. People from all over Europe and even Morocco work for them. But as much as she loves the freedom of being self-employed, the pregnancy with daughter Ada was associated with existential fears for her. “I was terribly worried that I would let my employees down. And I was just as afraid of letting my daughter down.”
Mira Jago demands money from the state to pay for a replacement for the period after the birth.
Support with Double burden necessary
Childhood and independence – a balancing act for her. While pregnant, Jago works more than ever before and even writes a book. A double burden in a male-dominated industry.
Getting pregnant as a self-employed woman? From founder Jago’s point of view, this is also a competitive disadvantage: “In the 20s we learn, in the 30s you build your company. But that is also exactly the time when you have children. And that makes it difficult.” That’s why the support of the state is needed.
Carpenter Johanna Röh sits in her workshop and reads to her daughter. Mila is now two and a half – the same age as her petition. The desire to have another child is there, but the current options make it difficult for her and her husband.
“With the current protection that is available for the self-employed, it is incredibly difficult for us because it means even more severe existential fears,” says Röh. The fact that women are actually given a choice – having a child or becoming self-employed – is damaging to equality, the birth rate and the economy.