Parents tend to have more home-bound mothers than fathers, particularly when the children are sick
In Germany, parents who have children under the age of 12 and are insured under the statutory health insurance scheme are entitled to take sick leave for their children. However, a significant disparity exists between women and men in the usage of this benefit, with women taking on a disproportionate share of childcare responsibilities leading to more frequent and longer absences from work.
One of the key reasons for this imbalance is the persistence of gendered caregiving roles. Mothers often bear the brunt of childcare responsibilities, including caring for sick children, which results in higher sick leave uptake among women compared to men. Research indicates that many mothers reduce work hours or leave jobs entirely due to caregiving needs, creating economic disadvantages.
Structural labor market inequalities also contribute to the unequal distribution of sick leave. Women are more likely to occupy flexible or part-time positions, which may necessitate and enable higher sick leave usage for child caregiving. Single mothers, who make up a significant portion of parents in Germany, face additional work-family conflicts and often longer unemployment spells after family leave, reinforcing the unequal leave distribution and labor market penalties.
Policy and social factors also play a role in this disparity. While Germany has family support measures like parental allowances and childcare facilities, gender equality in work-family reconciliation is not yet balanced. The government plans to improve policies, but current frameworks still reflect traditional caregiving norms.
Sick leave for children can be taken flexibly, with parents able to take individual days off, such as on two of five days in a week. Parents with more than two children can receive up to 35 days of sick leave for children, and single parents with more than two children can receive up to 70 days. As of January 1, 2024, each parent can apply for sick leave for children for up to 15 days per year, an increase from the previous 10 days. Single parents are entitled to 30 days of sick leave for children per child.
In 2021, 2023, and 2024, data from Barmer, one of the largest health insurance companies in Germany with around 8.3 million insured members, shows a significant difference in the number of applications for sick leave for children by women and men. In 2021, 365,000 applications were made by women, compared to 139,000 by men. In 2023, this gap widened further, with 297,000 applications from women and 108,000 from men. In 2024, the numbers were 648,000 for women and 229,000 for men.
These statistics reflect the persistent unequal distribution of family care responsibility, as stated by Christoph Straub, CEO of Barmer. In 2024, Barmer registered a total of 877,000 sick days for children, with 648,000 for women and 229,000 for men. In 2023, the total was 890,000 sick days, with 663,000 for women and 227,000 for men.
Sick leave for children usually amounts to 90% of the lost net income. Parents can apply for sick leave for children at their health insurance company, even if they work from home.
In conclusion, the unequal distribution of sick leave for children between women and men in Germany is influenced by persistent gender norms around caregiving, socioeconomic disparities in employment, and partial but incomplete policy support for gender-equal work-family balance. The government's efforts to improve policies are a step towards addressing this issue, but a more comprehensive approach is needed to achieve genuine gender equality in childcare responsibilities and work-family balance.
- Despite policy and family support measures in Germany, there remains an unequal distribution of childcare responsibilities in the workforce, with women taking on a disproportionate share of sick leave for children due to gendered caregiving roles and socioeconomic disparities in employment.
- In line with the persistent unequal distribution of family health responsibilities, the statistics from Barmer Health Insurance Company indicate a significant difference in the number of applications for sick leave for children by women and men, with a higher number of applications from women compared to men year after year.
