Double challenge: care and work in the context of the law!

Double challenge: care and work in the context of the law!

The situation of caring relatives in Germany is alarming. In 2023, almost a quarter (23.1%) of those aged 43 to 65 are supporting one or more people due to health problems, affecting approximately 5.5 million people. This additional burden not only has an emotional impact, but also leads to long-term disadvantages for employment, which can have a negative impact on the retirement security of those affected.

A survey shows that only around four percent of those affected actually make use of the existing political measures to balance care and work, such as care leave or family care leave. The reasons for this low take-up are varied. 21.8 percent of those surveyed are not familiar with the available offers. In addition, 16.4 percent stated that they were not entitled to it and 9.7 percent feared the bureaucratic burden. Surprisingly, 61.6 percent report that they do not need these offers.

Ignorance and bureaucratic hurdles

Dr. Ulrike Ehrlich, an expert in this field, points out that the large proportion of respondents who say they do not want support may not reflect the true needs of carers. It could be that many caring relatives do not adjust their working hours within the framework of the legal regulations, but rather negotiate them individually with their employer. Therefore, the impression could arise that the legal measures are not necessary.

Another problem is the financial limitations of the existing regulations. The laws are currently only insufficiently effective because the loans for care leave and family care leave, which are intended to bridge loss of earnings, only cover half of this and have to be repaid after the leave. It could therefore make sense for the duration of entitlement to be better aligned with the actual care needs and for wage replacement benefits to be introduced instead.

In order to increase demand for use, existing care offerings should be made more widely known. Another approach could be to expand the circle of those eligible. These steps could help to overcome the challenges facing family carers and improve the balance between care and work.

The detailed results are comprehensively documented in the publication by Dr. Ulrike Ehrlich and her co-authors, who address the challenges for caring relatives and outline possible legal measures. More information can be found directly in the report.

The German Aging Survey (DEAS) offers important insights into this topic. This study has been funded by the Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) for almost three decades and follows people in the second half of life. The results are crucial to better understand the realities of this group and to develop appropriate measures.