Rhineland-Palatinate Health Minister Hoch calls for the extended child sickness benefit regulation to be retained

The Rhineland-Palatinate Health Minister Clemens Hoch (SPD) has objected to statements by the federal government on how to proceed with child sickness benefits. At the request of the German Press Agency in Mainz, Hoch spoke out in favor of maintaining the regulation on the duration of receipt of child sickness benefit that has been in effect since the corona pandemic.

It's about the period of time during which parents are entitled to child sickness benefit. Federal Health Minister Carsten Linnemann from the CDU recently spoke out against extending the range again. An extension applies this year - namely 15 days per child and parent and 30 days for single parents.

Hoch warns of consequences for families, especially single parents

After the end of special regulations in the Corona crisis, the longer period of 15 days had already been extended by law for 2024 and 2025. Previously there were 10 children's sick days per year per parent.

If the range is now reduced again from 15 to 10, that would mean a noticeable threat to insurance for families, warned Hoch. A sick child should not pose a risk to their job or income. “If we want people to be able to combine family and work, then we also have to ensure that they are not faced with insoluble problems when looking after their sick children,” emphasizes Hoch.

Parents with statutory health insurance can apply for sick pay if a child under the age of twelve is sick and they are therefore unable to go to work. The health insurance company then covers a large part of the loss of earnings and pays child sickness benefit - usually 90 percent of net earnings.