SAP gives fathers six weeks of paid leave after the birth of a child so that they can care for the newborns. This is intended to strengthen the compatibility of family and career. Other companies are also open.
The software company SAP has announced that from next year in Germany it will give fathers or other partners six weeks of paid leave from the birth of their child. “We want to show that family compatibility and career advancement are not contradictions,” said SAP’s human resources manager in Germany, Cawa Younosi.
The governing parties SPD, Greens and FDP had agreed in the coalition agreement to introduce a two-week paid break for partners after the birth of a child. Various terms are used for these projects, including “paternity leave” and “father’s leave”, as they generally benefit fathers.
700 and 800 fathers could benefit
Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus referred to a “family start time” on Tuesday. This approach involves giving the partner time to care for the mother and support her during her recovery. According to the Green politician, the draft law is currently being discussed within the federal government.
In November last year, Minister Paus had already announced the introduction for 2024 in an interview, but when asked, the ministry did not want to officially comment on a specific date.
The DAX group SAP assumes that between 700 and 800 fathers in Germany could take advantage of this measure every year, provided that more than 90 percent of those eligible take advantage of the offer. This large-scale initiative is expected to cost millions of dollars per year.
SAP as a pioneer
Inquiries to several DAX companies show that SAP appears to be a pioneer with the program. Most people highlight existing offers in their answers and emphasize that they want to comply with new laws. However, none of the companies asked went as far as SAP. There was also occasional criticism of the traffic light coalition’s plan.
Siemens welcomed the approach of fathers’ leave to promote the equal distribution of family care work between the genders. “From Siemens’ point of view, however – as with parental allowance – the exemption should be financed from tax revenues and not be burdened on the employers,” said the Munich-based company
“We do not consider additional father’s leave to be necessary given our existing offers and the flexibility this allows,” said the car supplier and tire manufacturer Continental.
Reactions from DAX companies
“The existing parental leave model is a success,” said Thomas Ogilvie, Chief Human Resources Officer at the DHL Group. The options available so far are well established and both fathers and mothers are happy to take advantage of them. The company sees no need for changes and currently only grants one day of special leave for childbirth and parental leave, but no other exemptions.
The sports car manufacturer Porsche welcomed the federal government’s plans. “Paid time off at the start of fatherhood contributes to a better balance between family and work,” said a spokeswoman. At the same time, Porsche regrets that the Federal Cabinet has halved the income limit per family for entitlement to parental allowance.
Beiersdorf and Deutsche Telekom supported measures to improve the balance between family and work. The pharmaceutical and technology group Merck is open to the issue. Since the company is already very well positioned with its offering, it is not currently planning any expansions.
Lack of special leave for fathers
According to a recent survey, many companies in Germany do not offer special leave for fathers after the birth of a child. This is the case in 44 percent of the companies surveyed, according to a survey by the Allensbach Institute for Demoscopy on behalf of the Ministry of Family Affairs. According to this, 26 percent of the companies surveyed grant one day, a further 26 percent grant two days. Only four percent grant more than two days.
The fact that almost half of the companies do not value their employees’ offspring even a single day of special leave speaks volumes about their perception of the work-life balance, said Elke Hannack, deputy chairwoman of the German Federation of Trade Unions.
It is good and right that the family start time should finally come now. “We are counting on the coalition to get it into the law quickly.” This would be an important signal to strengthen the partnership between family and work right from the start.
BDA: “Existing measures are sufficient”
The Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) welcomed the efforts of many parents to take on more responsibility with the birth of their children. However, you don’t need any new legal requirements for this.
Parental leave and parental allowance have long given families the opportunity to take a break from work after birth. “Politicians must decide whether they want to implement new exemption claims – or whether they want to alleviate the labor shortage,” said the BDA. Both together don’t work. A one-sided financial burden on companies would also be unacceptable.