Family Start Time Act (Update)

In implementation of the “EU Directive on the balance of work and private life for caring relatives (2019/1158)” of June 20, 2019, there is a draft law according to which a second parent or partner will in future be entitled to an additional 10 days of leave after the birth should. The primary entitlement to this family start time is fathers and partners who are in a civil partnership with the person giving birth. Single parents have the right to nominate someone outside the household.

For the duration of the exemption, the person in question will receive a so-called partnership wage from your employer, which corresponds to the average wage of the last 3 months of work. So that the employer is not burdened with additional costs, the draft law provides for the partnership salary to be reimbursed to the employer by the responsible health insurance company via the O2 contribution process.

According to the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, the law should come into force in January, but its ratification has been delayed due to the need for further coordination in the departments of the ministries involved. Since the measure is to be financed via the U2 levy system, it requires subsidies from the state budget. Delays are to be feared due to the current problems with the 2024 federal budget.