Company bankruptcy incurs loss of child benefits

Despite a unanimous government decision to tighten the criteria for the income-based child benefit (einkommensabhängiges Kindergeld) as of 2012, Gabriele Heinisch-Hosek, Social Democratic Minister for Women’s Affairs, now demands a revision. The Minister refers to numerous cases of pregnant women, who were not able to be employed for at least six months before maternity leave due to the bankruptcy of their company.

Heinisch-Hosek, alongside the Arbeiterkammer (Austrian Chamber of Labour), is putting pressure on Conservative Minister for Economic Affairs, Reinhold Mitterlehner, who oversees family affairs, to amend the law in question.