In Habeck’s opinion, more opportunities to work from home could help solve the shortage of skilled workers. The employers are now saying that the requirement was “completely” out of date.
Employers in Germany reject a legal right to work from home. The general manager of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations, Steffen Kampeter, said: “Mobile work has been part of everyday working life for many employees for years. As a rule, this issue is settled in good agreement between employee and employer. There is no need for a law. There is a legal right to Mobile work would simply ignore the reality in companies.”
The demand from Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) was “completely” out of date. “One thing is certain: compulsory legal regulations endanger the diversity of design options – and only bring more bureaucracy.”
From Habeck’s point of view, more opportunities to work from home could help solve the shortage of skilled workers. Habeck suggests examining a legal right to flexible working, the “Handelsblatt” reported, citing a draft for the federal government’s annual economic report. The entitlement could therefore bring women with children in particular into more gainful employment.
Kampeter continued: “However, we welcome the fact that the Federal Ministry of Economics wants to make it easier for older workers to be employed. There are a number of options here. In times of skilled labor shortages, for example, it is a mistake that employers still sometimes have to pay punitive social security contributions, if they employ pensioners. The pension without deductions must be abolished immediately – other early retirement incentives must also be suspended.”
Source: Stern
