Generous payments to parents aim to make Germany more family friendly

[Judi Lynn]

Generous payments to parents aim to make Germany more family friendly
Support measures include a special gift from the president for child number seven in any family
Helen Pidd The Guardian, Wednesday 16 March 2011

Ever since January 2007, working German couples have been entitled to take 14 months' paid elternzeit (parental time) after the birth of each child.

The policy was the central pillar of a reform brought in by Germany's then family minister, Ursula von der Leyen, a mother of seven, in an attempt to make the country more family-friendly.

To qualify for the full stretch, the father must takeoff at least two out of the 14 months, but couples can decide how to share the time between them.

Whoever stays at home is paid 65% of their previous salary, up to a ceiling of €1,800 (£1,560) per month.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/16/germany-payments-to-parents

[Skittles]

1. so, who does their jobs while they are gone that long?

[old mark]

2. K&R-More of the evils of socialism...those poor Europeans will never learn

how badly they have it compared to us in the USA, the richest country in the world...


mark