Master carpenter Johanna Röh is expecting her first child in a few weeks and is committed to reforming maternity protection for self-employed female craftspeople and promoting farm assistance based on the agricultural model. (Photo: © HENNING SCHEFFEN PHOTOGRAPHY)
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women in crafts - Theme specials
April 2022
Pregnancy shouldn't threaten one's livelihood. "We need a comprehensive reform of maternity protection," says master carpenter Johanna Röh. She started the petition #meinewerkstattbleibt (MyWorkshopStays). Read what the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs has to say about it.
master carpenter Johanna Röh is pregnant. In a few weeks she is expecting her first child. She looks happy on her Instagram account "Pregnant and self-employed – it seems as if this situation is simply not foreseen," says the 34-year-old. Pregnant women who are employed are covered. "As a self-employed person, I have to be able to afford not to work, as it is no security whatsoever that really takes serious action."
This Inequality of opportunity Johanna Röh is concerned about this, she writes about it under the Hashtag #myworkshopstays. "I wouldn't have imagined how little this step would fit into the system," she says. "If my husband were the self-employed master carpenter and I were employed in the office, we wouldn't have a problem at all."
Together with two colleagues, the craftswoman has Petition on the platform Change.org started. For a Reform of maternity protection and for the establishment of farm assistance as it exists in agriculture Johanna Röh has hit a nerve.
Within four weeks, over 50.000 signatures were collected. Many female craftswomen, as well as midwives and other self-employed women, describe having to close their businesses or experiencing severe setbacks after giving birth.
You can still sign until the end of April, then the petition goes to decision-makers such as Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck and Federal Minister for Family Affairs Anne Spiegel.
The timing for her first child seemed perfect. In 2018, Johanna Röh fulfilled a dream with her workshop. four years as a journeyman on the move After completing her master craftsman examination and further training as a carpenter restorer in Japan, Canada and New Zealand, she concentrated entirely on starting her own business.
"The self-employment has started well, the order books are full, everything is great so far," says the ambassador of the campaign "The Craft".
"Our profession is in demand. People want individual, sustainable and long-lasting furniture." In the ZDF documentary series 37° There is a report about the career of the young carpenter.
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But at the beginning of her pregnancy she was confronted with the hurdles that self-employed women in the trades As an employed carpenter, Johanna Röh would have had a direct Employment ban The health risks associated with carpentry are too serious for the pregnant woman and the baby.
As a self-employed person, she had to continue working until a strong Morning sickness (hyperemesis) which lasted until the end of the fifth month. However, the health insurance company paid for this period only a little sick pay. "Because the money for the contracts came in at a later date, and I therefore earned too little beforehand and too much during the illness." To this day, she is still arguing with the insurance company.
QuoteJohanna Röh: "The consequences of climate change and the resulting measures, especially in the construction and energy sectors, can only be addressed through greater diversity in company management."
Once the nausea subsided, the carpenter faced the question of what work she was even allowed to do and how she would cover the ongoing costs. "If I didn't have the privilege of receiving support from the Arthur Francke Foundation and my husband earning enough to support me during my pregnancy, I wouldn't be able to support myself or cover the business's overhead during this time."
Her husband works as a commercial clerk and will take parental leave so that Johanna Röh can return to the workshop after her two months as a partner. The apprentice can continue her training at a partner company, while the journeyman will take a break. "I'm in this fortunate situation, but what if the pregnancy had been unwanted and I was alone?" asks the entrepreneur. That would mean the end of the business.
A free representation to provide operational assistance, If the boss is absent, this only exists in agriculture. The Federal Association of Women entrepreneurs in the skilled trades is advocating for business support for skilled trades. So far, without success.
In a few days, Johanna Röh will start Maternity ProtectionThe statutory health insurance then pays a maximum of 13 euros per calendar day. For employees, the employer makes up the difference to the average net wage. "Self-employed people have to build up a financial cushion for maternity leave and the postpartum period before pregnancy, which is difficult to impossible during the start-up phase with high fixed costs," says Johanna Röh. "It's time for something to change." She would like a solution where everyone contributes through a pay-as-you-go system.
The sculptor Astrid Hilt from the association CraftsGreen and Maxime Krämer contacted Johanna Röh. Together with other affected individuals, they developed demands and launched the petition. Today, one in five craft businesses is run by a woman. "This could certainly be expanded through functional and well-thought-out protection during pregnancy. This would not only create equal opportunities and justice, but would also address the problem of the shortage of skilled workers and the lack of business successors," say the initiators of the petition.
"The situation for pregnant entrepreneurs is indeed difficult," agrees the Central Association of German Crafts (ZDH) The traffic light coalition has announced its support for women in the skilled trades. Now, politicians are called upon to find solutions for women who take the risk of self-employment, emphasizes the Central Association of German Skilled Crafts (ZDH) in Berlin. A business owner's pregnancy should not pose an existential risk to the business.
Johanna Röh rightly puts her finger on a sore spot. The ZDH is in talks with the federal government to improve the situation of pregnant self-employed craftswomen and achieve stronger social security for them. Representation model of farm assistance based on the agricultural model The Crafts Association also considers this a good solution. "Such business support would be a benefit to society as a whole and would therefore have to be financed through tax revenue and not through contributions."
Johanna Röh wouldn't be able to help with this, at least not with her first child. For her, it's now "a matter of principle." The skilled trades need female entrepreneurs, also to enormous future tasks She says: "Especially here in the area, I'm unrivaled, and my business could serve as a role model for other young entrepreneurs. This should continue to be the story of a successful start-up in rural areas."
The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs In response to an inquiry from the German Crafts Journal, the Ministry confirmed that the Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG) applies only to a very limited extent to self-employed women. "Furthermore, self-employed women are not covered by the provisions of the Maternity Protection Act. The reason for this is that self-employed women are responsible for organizing their work and their working conditions," a spokesperson for the ministry explained. The same applies to their financial security.
Unlike employees, they are not dependent on how the employer organizes working conditions. Furthermore, the legal system provides self-employed women not defenseless, emphasizes the ministry spokeswoman.
"In particular during the protection periods according to paragraph 3 paragraph 1 and 2 of the Maternity Protection Act, privately insured women with daily sickness benefit insurance In principle, they are entitled to benefits from the insurance company due to loss of earnings. There are currently no concrete plans to reform maternity protection for the self-employed."
In certain case constellations However, it could be for self-employed individuals It may be difficult to adequately ensure a maternity protection standard that essentially corresponds to that for employees. "How the establishment of an appropriate maternity protection standard can be facilitated or ensured for self-employed persons, for example by corresponding maternity protection regulations in professional regulations, is therefore subject to ongoing review."
For the petition at change.org/meinewerkstattbleibt Signatures will be collected until the end of April. They will then be sent to political decision-makers. These are the demands:
A self-employed person receives a maximum of €13 per day in sick pay. Considering the running costs of a business, this isn't even a drop in the ocean. Fully paid maternity leave is being demanded.
Compensation payments should also be extended to pregnant self-employed persons in occupations that are subject to the employment ban for employed pregnant women.
In the case of sick leave due to pregnancy-related complications, payment of daily sickness benefit is required from the first day of sick leave. Delayed payments may not be counted toward sickness benefit calculations.
Emergency funds are needed to protect the businesses of self-employed pregnant women from insolvency. The financial livelihood of pregnant women must be guaranteed.
The call is for the establishment of farm assistance based on the agricultural model in order to provide unbureaucratic and free assistance to businesses from other economic sectors.
Previous pregnancy-related financial losses must be able to be earned tax-free.
A bonus is being demanded for companies that employ trainees during their pregnancy-related absence.
The company’s ability to operate must be guaranteed.
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