Anyone who cannot work due to a corona quarantine has been supported by the state so far.
That should change now for the unvaccinated.
All the rules:
It is getting more and more uncomfortable for people who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus. Not only that in some federal states - as in the current Corona regulation for Baden-Württemberg * - they are now confronted with strict rules, in many places they will soon have to pay for their corona tests themselves. But that's not all. Now the federal states want to restrict unvaccinated people in the event of a corona quarantine. The state no longer wants to pay for the so-called loss of earnings. As
reported by echo24.de
*, the health
ministers of
the federal states want to discuss a unified line in this matter this Wednesday (September 22nd).
So far, it has been legally regulated that employees who were unable to work due to a corona quarantine - and thus suffered financial losses - receive compensation from the state.
Means: The employer continues to pay the employee his wages and then applies for the money back from the federal government.
At the moment, the same applies to sick leave: The compensation is available in full for six weeks, only then is the compensation payment reduced to 67 percent.
However, the maximum rate for a full month is 2016 euros.
Loss of earnings for unvaccinated people in the corona pandemic: what the countries want to decide
Now a regulation is to come into force that actually already exists in the Infection Protection Act, but has not yet been applied. Specifically, it includes the announcement that there is no entitlement to compensation if the ordered quarantine could have been avoided by a publicly recommended vaccination. This regulation also applies if you have made an "avoidable trip" to a corona risk area with high numbers of infections abroad - and then have to be quarantined after your return due to the lack of vaccination.
The ministers of health justify why this measure should actually be activated now as follows: In the meantime, almost everyone has been offered a vaccination.
Quarantine and financial failures could consequently be avoided in the vast majority of cases.
Bavaria's Minister of Health, Klaus Holetschek, found clear words about this fact.
If there are no health reasons speaking against a vaccination, he ultimately no longer sees any reason for taxpayers to shoulder compensation for loss of earnings, the CSU politician told
ARD
.
Everyone can get vaccinated - and thus avoid quarantine.
Loss of earnings for unvaccinated people in the pandemic: These federal states are already rushing ahead
But the federal government cannot decide on the loss of earnings in the case of corona quarantine for the whole of Germany - the competence for implementation ultimately rests with the federal states. Some federal states have actually already seized the opportunity - for example, Baden-Württemberg has already decided on compensation for unvaccinated people in the event of loss of earnings and has implemented it since September 15. Rhineland-Palatinate wants to implement the regulation by October 1st, Bremen and North Rhine-Westphalia are planning similar steps in the course of October.
However, exceptions to the rule should always apply - for example, people who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons will probably continue to receive compensation for loss of earnings through corona quarantine.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women - at least in Baden-Württemberg - are exempt from the regulation, as are children up to and including 17 years of age.
Loss of earnings for unvaccinated people during Corona: Criticism for "mandatory vaccination through the back door"
In addition, there is a certain delicacy to be distinguished, which in case of doubt can have serious consequences. In contrast to the precautionary quarantine for contact persons or travelers, anyone who is actually infected with the coronavirus is very entitled to wage compensation. Because "whoever gets infected is sick and has a right to it," a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Health told the
German Press Agency
.
However, the end of the compensation for unvaccinated people is still a long way from being a nationwide decision - and it is also being discussed controversially.
On Deutschlandfunk, for example, the German Trade Union Federation (DGB) sharply criticized the decision of the countries that pushed ahead.
DGB boss Reiner Hoffmann spoke of a "compulsory vaccination through the back door".
He is of the opinion that the debate about compulsory corona vaccination will be shifted to employees and companies.
Loss of earnings for unvaccinated people due to corona quarantine: "Pandemic of the unvaccinated"?
If, on the other hand, one goes after the decision of Baden-Württemberg, then unvaccinated people are already threatened with tougher measures and regulations. Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) repeatedly appeals to citizens without full immunization to be vaccinated. Because there is now even a vaccination recommendation for pregnant and breastfeeding women * - in addition, a study recently refuted some side effects of the corona vaccination *. Most children will soon be able to be vaccinated without any problems - at least from a legal point of view. The vaccine manufacturer Biontech is working on approval for all children from the age of 5 * for its mRNA vaccine.
The appeal of the head of the state of Baden-Württemberg is all the more urgent. Corona has developed into a "pandemic of the unvaccinated". That is why it is all the more important that everyone who can get vaccinated.
* echo24.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.