According to a recent poll conducted by Hanover daily Neue Presse, requests for paternity leave are increasing.
The paper reports that between 9 and 13 percent of the authorized parental benefits across the country were from fathers. A German law instated last year is valid for children born after January 1, 2007, and pays new parents a portion of their salaries so they can stay home with their baby. This law is likely responsible for the increase in fathers taking paternity leave. Official numbers could still increase because parental benefits can be claimed retroactively for up to three months.
On Friday, the German Federal Statistical Office plans to publish the country’s parental benefit figures for 2007.
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