Change through Corona: How the world of work should look like


Change through Corona
What the working world should look like

More money for nursing staff, better social security for self-employed individuals and the abolition of mini-jobs: an advisory committee led by Labor Minister Heil is making suggestions for the world of work after the pandemic.

An advisory body to the federal government has called for comprehensive measures to reorganize the world of work after the corona pandemic. In his report handed over to Labor Minister Hubertus Heil, the so-called Council of the world of work Among other things, a gradual abolition of mini-jobs, more money for nursing staff and better social security for solo self-employed. The body was appointed by Heil in January 2020 and has now presented its first report on the world of work.

“The world of work is changing, and not just since Corona,” said Heil. However, the pandemic has “accelerated the change in the world of work extraordinarily”, it is becoming “more diverse, more digital and more global”.

According to the panel of experts, the companies in Germany made a decisive contribution to occupational health and safety and infection protection during the pandemic with home office regulations. This “ad-hoc” home office was sometimes accompanied by a lack of technical support, simultaneous challenges in homeschooling and unclear working hours and availability rules. The council therefore called for new operational and legal regulations, for example with regard to the recording of working hours.

Another demand of the expert committee: Even minor forms of employment such as mini-jobs would have to be made crisis-proof. Low-wage earners are not adequately protected if they lose their job. The council therefore recommended the gradual abolition of 450-euro jobs, with exceptions for schoolchildren, students and pensioners.

“Actually, it must be clear that the mini job is a sideline,” said Heil. He called for a stronger orientation towards jobs subject to social security contributions. A higher minimum wage would also lead to fewer mini-jobs, the minister said.

Duty of old-age provision required

The committee also called for the social security of around 2.1 million self-employed people in Germany to be improved, and access to voluntary unemployment insurance to be made easier. The self-employed should also be obliged to provide for old age, demanded the Council of the World of Work.

Against the background of the corona pandemic, the report also focused on the situation of care for the elderly and the sick. Overall, the council called for an increase in collective bargaining coverage and higher wages for nursing staff across the board. In addition, occupational health and safety should be strengthened.

In-company training measures and low-threshold access to the professional field should also make use of the personnel potential of around 205,000 people who are currently working in the care sector without any nursing training. A high and nationally uniform nursing qualification should be introduced and the co-determination of employees should be strengthened.

Nursing is not just about better wages, but also about better working conditions. “Nursing staff do not need a minimum wage, they need decent collectively agreed wages,” said Heil. He therefore proposed a Tariffreuegesetz, which should link the payment of benefits from long-term care insurance to care facilities on whether their employees are paid according to the tariff.

Bafög for older people too?

In view of the rapid change in the world of work, the Council of the World of Work also emphasized the relevance of further training and lifelong learning. However, access to further training offers is still too often dependent on financial resources. The Council therefore assessed the increasing state funding of further training measures as positive. In order to improve access to such offers, the council also proposed significantly increasing the age limit for student loans.

Lifelong learning is necessary so that “today’s employees can also do tomorrow’s work,” said Heil. A break from work for one’s own further education must become “as natural as parental leave” in Germany.

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