How Germany Supports its Families - Proof that the US can do Better
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I am a US citizen. I want to believe that the United States is the best country in the earth. That message was shoved downwards my throat for as long as I can remember. In schoolhouse, I had to represent the Pledge of Allegiance. The public school system taught me that our constitution is the model for the civilized earth, that we are the great saviors of the globe, and that commercialism is the greatest arrangement ever created. I was also taught that our rugged individualism is a trait to be revered. If you can't accomplish success, it's your error and yours alone.
Just when I became an adult, my perspective changed. I traveled; explored Europe, and made friends in other countries – specifically Germany. I learned that Federal republic of germany supports its families, and the US is sorely lacking.
How Germany Supports its Families
Paternal Leave
Did you know that new parents in Germany go up to a twelvemonth of parental get out without risking their jobs? Or that the government provides for 67% of their income while they are on that leave? Can y'all imagine how helpful such a programme would be to families in the Usa? Nosotros tin can barely become twelve weeks of unpaid leave here! Unless yous are on the higher end of the income scale, you can't afford to have time off work to bond with your new baby. Nosotros tin can practise improve.
Childcare
Germany supports its families with childcare as well. The system that my friends explained to me is freaking astonishing!
The children get-go daycare at around ane year quondam. Every kid is guaranteed a spot in the state-run daycare, and it's affordable for pretty much every family. The maximum cost is effectually $200 per month. Families in the U.s.a. can expect to pay that much each week!
But that's not even the best part. Kids aren't just dropped off at the day care for 9 hours like they are in the The states. In Germany, they wean the kids into daycare. For the starting time few weeks, the parents have them to the daycare for only a few hours and stay with them. After the kids are comfy existence at the daycare with the parents, the parents start leaving them there alone for brusk periods of fourth dimension. Over the form of a few weeks, the fourth dimension gets longer and longer, until the child is comfortable staying at the daycare during the full work twenty-four hour period. How cool is that?
Wellness Care
I'm not going to get into the specifics near how the organization works, like whatever system it's a flake complicated with tons of exceptions and nuance. If you desire to know more than of the specifics yous tin can find information technology hither.
In a nutshell, Germany has a Universal multi-payer healthcare arrangement that incorporates both government funds and private funds. All citizens are required to have it. Information technology costs 14.6% of your income, which is split between the citizen and the employer. Information technology's as well capped at a maximum income amount, and then the almost whatsoever unmarried person would pay is 360 Euros per month. This includes coverage for all non-working dependents as well. The system covers in-patient care, outpatient care, and basic dental. Equally far as I can tell, there are no copays, deductibles, or co-insurances. Yous pay your monthly premium for all the healthcare that you may need.
Sick Exit
Federal republic of germany too supports its families by providing paid time off for illnesses. Germans citizens can accept up to six weeks of fully paid leave for a sickness or injury in a six-month menstruum. If the sickness or injury lasts longer than vi weeks, they are covered by a statutory (government provided) insurance for sickness, where they receive up to 70% of their pay for as long every bit 78 weeks.
This leave policy combined with universal health care coverage ensures that German citizens don't have to worry about going bankrupt over medical bills. They besides don't have to worry about how they will pay for their electric current bills if they do get ill. Can you imagine how freeing that peace of mind would be?
Vacation Days
German citizens (along with the rest of the EU citizens), become a minimum of 20 paid vacation days every year. That's four total weeks of vacation fourth dimension! Americans struggle to get two weeks per twelvemonth. Isn't that insane? Conspicuously, companies in Germany have found ways to stay afloat while as well offering their workers decent benefits and a proficient work/life rest. Why can't the US do the aforementioned?
How do they Pay for it?
Y'all'd call back that with all these fancy programs, tax rates in Frg would be astronomical. But they really aren't that bad. They range from fourteen% to 45%. That's non too far off from the US's rates of 10% to 37%, all the same they go subsidized child care, universal health intendance (yes, they pay that in a different style, but and so do we!), parental leave, and ill exit. If they can do it, so can we!
Nosotros Tin can Exercise Better
I wrote this mail not to showcase how lacking the US's system is, but to show that we can do better. Frg doesn't even take the best system (I think the Scandinavian countries are more often than not the top rated, but I don't accept any friends who live there). We have quite a few models from other countries that we can look to for edifice our own system that really works and supports people. Why don't we? Why are Americans opposed to supporting families? We can clearly practise better, don't you call back?
*Disclaimer – this post was written based off conversations with my Federal republic of germany friends, so I apologize if my numbers are a bit off or if I got some small details incorrect. The details aren't of import. The important matter is that Germany support its families and is yet a competitive, modern society . We could practise the same.
Source: https://partnersinfire.com/lifestyle/germany-supports-its-families/
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