Weekly updates from the German federal parliament, Bundestag

Weekly updates from the German federal parliament, Bundestag

The German government is set to introduce a new act aimed at boosting vaccination rates and controlling the ongoing pandemic. The Act to Strengthen COVID-19 Vaccination Prevention proposes extending existing vaccination requirements for certain sectors and adjusting rules related to short-time work allowance.

Key Proposed Changes

1. Mandatory Vaccination or Recovery: The act reinforces the requirement for employees in hospitals, nursing homes, doctors' offices, facilities for people with disabilities, and other health or care facilities to provide proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19. This mandate, which took effect on March 15, 2022, is intended to increase vaccination coverage in sensitive settings.
2. Short-Time Work Allowance (Kurzarbeitergeld): The act introduces adjustments related to vaccination policies for this government subsidy. Workers who refuse COVID-19 vaccination under the mandate may have implications for their eligibility for this allowance. This measure aims to provide an economic incentive to comply with vaccination rules for maintaining employment during pandemic-related disruptions.
3. Expansion of Full-Day Care Infrastructure: The federal government has set up a special fund of 3.5 billion euros to expand full-day care infrastructure. Claiming of these funds will be simplified by merging the basic and bonus pots. Additionally, 750 million euros were made available to the federal states and municipalities in advance for this purpose.
4. Closure of Leisure and Cultural Facilities: In the future, gastronomic establishments, clubs, discotheques, and other leisure and cultural facilities can be closed by the federal states if necessary to control the infection situation.
5. Vaccination for School Students: Starting from 2026, elementary school students will have a legal claim to full-day care, with the legal claim gradually expanding to grades two to four.
6. EU Commission's Temporary Framework for State Aid: The EU Commission extended the temporary framework for state aid until the end of June 2022 in November.
7. Vaccination Requirement for Nursing Home and Hospital Staff: A vaccination requirement for staff in nursing homes, hospitals, and similar facilities will be introduced by March 15, 2022.
8. Studies on Infection Risk: Studies show that the risk of infection is particularly high among the unvaccinated, and the majority of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units are unvaccinated.
9. Expanded Vaccination Administration: Physicians, dentists, veterinarians, and pharmacists will be allowed to administer vaccinations with appropriate training.

The draft bill for the Act to Strengthen COVID-19 Vaccination Prevention will be discussed in the first reading. The SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens, and FDP factions are finalizing the act this week, and a corresponding initiative will be discussed in the first reading as well. The Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF) has been extended, allowing large companies in Germany to receive state funds beyond the end of the year. The deadline for claiming the 750 million euros has been extended by one year due to the long-term consequences of the corona pandemic and the flood disaster in July 2021. Some federal states have issued ordinances with more intrusive measures due to high infection rates, and these can continue to apply until February 15, 2022. Companies now have until April 30, 2022, to apply for the Economic Stabilization Fund. The claim to an increased short-time work allowance will be extended until March 31, 2022, and the possibility for employees to earn additional income during short-time work will be extended as well.

1. The Act to Strengthen COVID-19 Vaccination Prevention, under discussion, includes policy-and-legislation extending vaccination requirements to certain sectors, such as hospitals and nursing homes, in the pursuit of health-and-wellness and pandemic control.
2. The new act proposes adjustments in the Short-Time Work Allowance (Kurzarbeitergeld) policy, potentially affecting the employment and financial benefits of individuals who refuse COVID-19 vaccination, within the context of general-news and economics.
3. Collaboration between the SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens, and FDP factions has been crucial in the drafting of this bill, aimed at science and research-based policies and measures to combat the ongoing pandemic.

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