Court Strengthens Rights of Stay-at-Home Moms, Dads

Germany's Federal Administrative Court ruled on Wednesday that divorcees, who had largely taken care of the household and kids, wouldn't lose their palimony claims against their former partners even if they continued doing the housework in a new partnership. The judges said that housework as well as bringing up children was a valuable role that enhanced the living standard of the working partner. That's why, they said, maintenance claims after a divorce had to take into account the household duties as well as the income of the marriage partner. The court stressed that nothing had changed about the fact that a person could, after divorce, continue to work in the household of a new partner. The ruling thus revoked an earlier contradictory decision by a court in Oldenburg and sanctioned the regular payment of €180 monthly to a young, divorced housewife.