Hardly legal entitlement to family care

Legal entitlement to family care: VdK President Ulrike Mascher calls for better reconciliation of care and work

23/03/2011

The president of the social association VdK Germany, Ulrike Mascher, criticizes the bill on family care now approved by the Federal Cabinet as "completely inadequate": "Without a binding right to family care, many workers will not be able to take paid leave to look after a relative relying on the goodwill of companies is the wrong way to go ".

"Nursing relatives work hard and hard for years and relieve contributors and taxpayers of billions, and if the balance between care and work is not significantly improved, our care system faces the threat of collapse," explained Mascher. Mascher described the intended salary waiver of 25 percent as "foreign to the world". "The vast majority can not get along with 25 percent less salary for several years and can not cope with any later retirement losses." In the long term, according to Mascher, there is no way around caring relatives to provide a financial benefit comparable to the parental allowance. Only in this way would more people be able to decide on family care.

In addition, the right to return to full-time employment must be linked with the nursing period. People who have completely given up their profession for the care of a loved one should be supported in the re-entry with support programs. The extension of the nursing time to two years was welcomed by the VdK President, but she also pointed out that nursing often takes much longer. For the time after the two-year family care period, there should be further considerations to hedge caregivers. With its "care goes to everyone" campaign, the social association VdK appeals to the Federal Government to give due consideration to caring relatives in the reform of long-term care insurance. (Pm)