IfM Study reveals significant physical Demands and Existential Worries
For many self-employed craftswomen in North Rhine-Westphalia, pregnancy brings not only joyful anticipation but also significant physical and financial strain. This is the finding of a recent survey conducted by the Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia and the West German Chambers of Crafts and Skilled Trades Council (WHKT). One in four self-employed craftswomen in North Rhine-Westphalia returns to full-time work just six weeks after giving birth often out of financial necessity, as statutory maternity benefits are currently not available to the self-employed.
Nearly all continued to perform physically demanding tasks during pregnancy tasks from which employees would typically be protected under occupational health regulations.
NRW Minister for Economic Affairs, Mona Neubaur: "I have great respect for all the craftswomen who run their businesses with creativity, courage and perseverance. These women are skilled professionals we urgently rely on. It is unacceptable that they face such a vulnerable stage of life without any statutory protection. Those who work physically hard right up to childbirth and return to work shortly afterwards deserve not only recognition – but also tangible support."
"While employees are financially supported before and after childbirth through statutory maternity pay and employer top-ups, self-employed mothers have no legal entitlement to income replacement benefits", says study director Dr Rosemarie Kay. "Although they can in principle offset their loss of earnings due to pregnancy and maternity through private sickness or daily sickness allowance insurance, many self-employed craftswomen are either unaware of this option or have consciously chosen not to take it up."
What the study shows
- Most craftswomen stop working completely only a few days before giving birth.One in two self-employed craftswomen ceases work just one week or less before childbirth.
- Around one in two craftswomen surveyed returned to work within four weeks of giving birth, typically with reduced working hours.
- One in four self-employed craftswomen is back to work at the same level as before pregnancy just six weeks after giving birth.
- 89 percent of respondents regularly performed physically demanding tasks during pregnancy that would typically trigger protective measures or employment restrictions for salaried employees.
- Three out of four respondents reported experiencing increased psychological stress.
- During the maternity protection period, only 29 percent of respondents received sickness benefit or daily sickness allowance from their health insurance.
- More than 80 percent of respondents consider the introduction of a collectively funded maternity benefit to be sensible, while around 40 percent also view the introduction of temporary business assistance as a useful measure.
- The clear majority feel poorly informed about the existing protection options during pregnancy.
- While revenue for around half of those affected by losses recovers to previous levels at the earliest after one year, for more than a third this has still not happened even after three years.
Berthold Schröder, President of the West German Chambers of Crafts and Skilled Trades Council: "Only around 22 percent of craft businesses in North Rhine-Westphalia are currently led by women. It is no longer acceptable today to do without women as skilled professionals and leaders. However, balancing family and career is a particular challenge for self-employed craftswomen, as they are disproportionately often engaged in physically demanding tasks. In the case of pregnancy, this means self-employed craftswomen either suffer loss of earnings or have to perform tasks that employees are no longer permitted to carry out. We want to support more women in their craft careers and are therefore committed to improving the framework conditions."
A total of 950 self-employed craftswomen took part in the survey. It was conducted as part of the project "Feasibility Study: Ways to Support the Self-Employed in the Crafts Sector During Pregnancy and Maternity", which is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Climate Protection and Energy (MWIKE) of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and carried out by the West German Chambers of Crafts and Skilled Trades Council (WHKT).
Next steps
Based on the findings, the crafts sector and relevant interest groups will now work together with the IfM Bonn to develop concrete policy recommendations aimed at specifically improving the situation of pregnant women and mothers in the skilled trades.
