According to the BIV, mini-jobs, accounting for around 30 percent of all jobs, are an indispensable tool for flexibly fulfilling customer orders and integrating specific employee groups. (Photo: © bartusp /123RF.com)
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April 2026
The draft bill for the Statutory Health Insurance Contribution Rate Stabilization Act proposes increasing the flat-rate employer contribution to health insurance for mini-jobs. The building cleaning industry is sharply criticizing this.
The Federal Ministry of Health The Ministry has presented a draft bill for the Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) Contribution Rate Stabilization Act. In it, the Ministry consolidates many of the 66 measures proposed by the Finance Commission to offset the looming deficit of €15 billion next year and up to €40 billion by 2030.
"Without this reform, the burden on insured individuals and employers would be many times higher than with the reform. Contributions would thus become more predictable, socially equitable, and remain virtually constant over the coming years," explains Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU). All sectors and all stakeholders in the healthcare system would be affected. The goal is to create a balanced package of measures.
One measure concerns marginal employment: "The flat-rate contribution rate for employers of marginally employed workers will be increased to the general contribution rate of 14,6 percent plus the average supplementary contribution rate. In 2027, the monthly contribution assessment ceiling will also be raised by approximately 300 euros on a one-off basis," the draft law states.
And further: "This strengthens contribution fairness and generates a solidarity contribution from employers and higher-income earners to the reform package." Federal guild association of the building cleaning trade (BIV) rejects this measure. It offers no improvement for employees, and mini-jobs would become significantly more expensive for employers.
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While regular employment subject to social security contributions continues to increase in the sector – rising by 40 percent since 2008 – mini-jobs, accounting for around 30 percent of employment, remain an indispensable tool for flexibly fulfilling customer orders and integrating specific employee groups, according to the BIV.
"With the planned reform, the Federal government “The axe is being laid to the mini-job. The much-promised reduction in social security contributions is unlikely to happen; on the contrary, labor will become even more expensive,” says Federal Guild Master Thomas Dietrich. “Yet mini-jobs are extremely popular with many employees precisely because of the net effect, the flexibility in working hours, the low barriers to entry, and their use as secondary or transitional employment during certain phases of life.”
They represent a low-threshold and legal access to the labor market. For businesses, the increase means an additional burden that many companies cannot bear. Dietrich: "Building cleaning is an extremely labor-intensive trade; 85 percent of the costs are personnel costs. An additional increase in non-wage labor costs has a direct impact on the economic situation of businesses."
He anticipates that businesses will be forced to reduce marginal employment. However, converting these positions into regular, full-time jobs subject to social security contributions is often neither possible nor desired by the employees. The planned contribution increase disadvantages labor-intensive sectors and could reduce employment. Ultimately, this counteracts the goal of generating additional revenue for health insurance funds.
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