Compiled by Douglas McArthur
Reuters

p. C7.

Brothels need apprentices under planned German law

The German government's plans to levy fines on companies that fail to hire trainees will also be applied to legal German brothels, Der Spiegel news magazine reports.

Brothels failing to employ a certain number of apprentices will not be exempted from the financial penalties that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's centre-left government wants to introduce on all companies later this year. The legislation will fine companies that do not have one apprentice for every 15 workers.

Several members of the Greens party tried to allow an exemption for prostitutes but the Education Ministry responsible for the legislation blocked that, arguing it "would cause considerable difficulties," Der Spiegel said.