Overview

• Family Minister Karin Prien has proposed a wage-replacement benefit for family caregivers, citing the growing care demands of an aging population.
• The proposal is still in its exploratory phase, with no detailed design or implementation timeline announced yet.
• Social welfare organizations support the initiative, urging a structure similar to parental benefits with income-based tiering.
• Critics warn the plan could reduce workforce participation and exacerbate gender inequality, as caregiving roles often fall to women.
• The initiative's implementation is contingent on economic feasibility, with the government prioritizing broader economic improvements.