The first ideas for the grandparental leave outlined by Chancellor Karl Nehammer in his Austria plan are available on the occasion of World Grandparents Day. Family Minister Susanne Raab, together with Senior Citizens’ Association President Ingrid Korosec, explored possible arrangements for grandparental leave.
Grandparental leave should be possible if the grandparents are still working or are already retired. This is associated with financial support in the form of a “grandparent bonus”, similar to childcare allowance in the same amount. An exemption option is provided for working grandparents. The prerequisite is that the grandparents take care of the grandchildren instead of the parents because they are employed. It should not be possible for parents and grandparents to take parental leave at the same time.
An example of a possible division between parents and grandparents: The mother goes on maternity leave for 6 months and then returns to working life. The father then takes over 6 months of maternity leave. Grandma or Grandpa go on maternity leave for the remaining 12 months.
“For many families, the contribution that grandma and grandpa make in raising children and childcare is indispensable. Grandparents’ maternity leave is therefore not only a great appreciation for the older generation, but also a milestone for families’ freedom of choice. Every family should be able to choose how they want to arrange child care: whether in an institutional child education and care facility, through mother or father or even grandparents: all options should be available. This is real freedom of choice. “Grandparent leave is an additional voluntary offer for families who want to return to work earlier,” so Family Minister Susanne Raab.
For Ingrid Korosec, President of the Austrian Senior Citizens’ Associationgrandparental leave can make a valuable contribution to social and family cohesion: “The changes in our society bring new challenges and needs for parents and grandparents – from a family, professional and financial perspective. Different places of residence, new work and life models – especially for the older generation – bring completely new challenges that require new approaches for families. Also in the care of children by their parents and grandparents. I therefore welcome the idea of grandparent leave from Chancellor Nehammer and Family Minister Susanne Raab. It is future-oriented, close to life and definitely worth the fact that we work together and constructively to develop a “best practice model” that is ready for implementation from a good idea – for our grandchildren, children and grandparents.”
Korosec emphasized on the occasion of World Grandparents Day also how indispensable the support of grandparents is in family life: “Not only do they relieve parents, but they also provide important emotional support for their grandchildren. Their diverse roles make them a foundation on which our family structures rest. grandparents s“We are the invisible heroes of everyday life who hold our families and society together – 365 days a year!”
Grandparental leave is another important pillar for the compatibility of work and family. At 4.5 billion euros, more money than ever before is being invested in the expansion and quality of childcare in order to achieve real freedom of choice for families. A recent study has shown that no country in the European Union supports families as much as Austria. In recent years, support services have been expanded and increased, from family allowances to Family Bonus Plus, in order to provide families with even better support.