Workdays for employees will be optional on Days of Repentance and Expiation, as per the proposed plan by the AfD party. - Far-right political party AfD advocates for granting unrestricted allowances to workers without cost.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has proposed making the Buß- und Bettag a paid holiday for employees in Saxony. The party has submitted an application to the parliamentary proceedings to this effect, voicing the need to end the current disadvantage faced by workers. The Saxon government would then be advocated to advocate at the federal level and towards other states that no increased contributions to nursing care insurance are required if the Buß- und Bettag remains a public holiday.
Originating from the Protestant Church, the Buß- und Bettag is an annual holiday celebrated on the first Wednesday after the Volkstrauertag. This year, the day falls on November 19 and focuses on reflection, self-assessment, and reorientation.
In 1994, the Buß- und Bettag was largely abolished as a national legal holiday due to funding nursing care insurance. However, Saxony, then led by Minister President Kurt Biedenkopf (CDU), opposed this, allowing employees in the state to continue observing the day off while paying more into nursing care insurance. This is no longer the case in other federal states.
The AfD argues that the burden on employers due to the additional public holiday is negligible when compared to the number of holidays in other federal states, such as Bavaria's twelve holidays compared to Saxony's eleven. They also point out that disparities in wages between eastern and western German employees persist. Employees in Saxony pay an average of 224.24 euros more per year in wage-related costs due to the Buß-und Bettag.
Public dance events and other forms of entertainment that contradict the serious nature of the Buß- und Bettag are prohibited between 3:00 AM and 12:00 AM in Saxony. However, the extent to which Protestant Christians in Saxony use the day for reflection remains unclear.
With the AfD's proposal still being considered, it is advised to follow updates from the Saxony state parliament, official government bodies, or the AfD's local office.
The Buß- und Bettag, AfD, public holiday, Saxony, Dresden, employers, Volkstrauertag are key terms associated with this topic.
- The Community policy in Saxony should consider the AfD's proposal to make the Buß- und Bettag a paid holiday for employees, as part of their education-and-self-development and personal-growth agenda.
- The policy-and-legislation surrounding the Buß- und Bettag, initially rooted in the Protestant Church, has evolved over time with implications for politics, as shown by the recent AfD proposal in the general-news.
- Vocational training opportunities may be enhanced in Saxony if the Buß- und Bettag remains a paid holiday, as it could potentially lead to improved employee engagement and productivity, thereby fostering overall development.
