Weekly updates from the Federal Diet (Bundestag) in Germany

In a significant move, the German government has announced a care bonus for over 280,000 care workers, including trainees, volunteers, and temporary agency workers, working in 837 particularly burdened hospitals. The bonus, totalling one billion euros, is tax-free and exempt from social security contributions, providing much-needed relief during the pandemic.

This announcement comes as part of a broader digitalization strategy for gender equality, as outlined in the third Equality Report of 2022. The report emphasizes the need to close the digital gender gap, promote women in digital professions and STEM fields, combat online violence and discrimination against women, and ensure gender-sensitive design and implementation of digital platforms and AI technologies.

The report also addresses structural factors contributing to the underrepresentation of women in the digital sector, such as lack of compatibility between family and career, insufficient social security, and gender stereotypes. The strategy aims to harness digitalization not only as a technical issue but as an opportunity to advance equal participation and rights in society.

In addition to the care bonus, the German government is extending its mandate to include up to 300 soldiers until 30 April 2023, as part of the EU mission EUNAVFOR MED IRINI. This mission, launched in February 2020, aims to ensure peace and stability in war-torn Libya by combating human traffickers, curbing the illegal export of oil, and rescuing refugees at sea.

The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, located at the Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, is also set to receive a new leadership due to the amendment of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG). The agency provides legal advice for those affected by discrimination based on age, disability, gender, ethnic origin, religion, or sexual identity.

Furthermore, the government is proposing an increase in the income tax allowance and the basic tax-free allowance as part of the tax relief act. Full-time employees working in direct care and support in care facilities can receive up to 550 euros under this act.

The higher distance allowance and mobility bonus specifically relieve long-distance commuters from increased mobility costs. Appropriate structures are necessary to ensure equality in digitalization, and the government is working towards creating these structures to ensure a gender-equal digital transformation.

These initiatives underscore the German government's commitment to gender equality in both care work and digitalization, recognizing the interconnectedness of these issues in today's society. The digital transformation must be driven by women and men equally, as the government concludes in the third Equality Report of 2022.

The third Equality Report of 2022, released by the German government, includes policy-and-legislation aimed at closing the digital gender gap and promoting women in digital professions and STEM fields, which falls under the broader category of politics.
The German government, in its efforts to ensure a gender-equal digital transformation, is implementing initiatives such as the higher distance allowance and mobility bonus and proposing tax relief act measures for care workers, demonstrating its commitment to gender equality not only in digitalization but also in policy-and-legislation related to care work, which is a part of general-news.