Elternzeit

As a parent, you can take parental leave.

Each parent is entitled to a temporary and unpaid leave of absence from work to care for and bring up the child. The entitlement lasts until the child is 3 years old.

During parental leave, your employment relationship is suspended. At the end of parental leave, your employment relationship comes back to life and your employer must employ you again in accordance with the agreements made in your employment contract.

• Written registration to your employer with date and handwritten signature
  • Registration by e-mail is not sufficient.
  • When registering for parental leave, you must make a binding declaration for which periods within the next 2 years you are claiming parental leave.

• employment relationship according to German labour law or
• vocational training if the training relationship is based on an employment contract.

As an employee, you are entitled to parental leave if you

• live in a household with a child for whom you are entitled to parental leave and
• look after and bring up this child yourself.

You are entitled to parental leave for

• your child or

• a child
  • which you have taken in with the intention of adopting as your child,
  • your spouse, civil partner or partner that you have taken into your household,
  • who lives in your household and for whom the acknowledgment of paternity declared by him/her has not yet taken effect or a decision has not yet been made on the establishment of paternity requested by him/her,
  • whom you have taken into full-time care (in accordance with § 33 of the Eighth Book of the German Social Code).

Relatives up to the third degree and their spouses, civil partners or civil partners may also be entitled to parental leave in exceptional cases.

none

You must request your parental leave in writing from the employer at least 7 weeks before it begins.

In order to make the parental leave flexible and at the same time ensure the necessary planning security for the employer side, you must specify the arrangement of the parental leave for the next 2 years from the start of the parental leave when you register.

If the mother takes parental leave immediately after the maternity protection period or immediately after a leave following the maternity protection period, she only has to determine the arrangement of the parental leave until the child reaches the age of 2.

Your employer certifies your parental leave.

Your employment relationship is suspended during parental leave. After the end of the parental leave, your employment relationship is reinstated.

Notification period

• You must request your parental leave in writing from your employer at least 7 weeks before it begins.

Duration

• Both parents can take up to 3 years of parental leave at the same time or alternately.
  • You can spread your parental leave over 2 periods.
  • With the employer's consent, you can also spread the time over further periods.

Protection against dismissal

• Your employer may not dismiss you from the date on which you have registered for parental leave, but no earlier than 8 weeks before the start of parental leave and during parental leave.
• Dismissal may only be declared permissible in exceptional cases.
• Your employee can only terminate the employment relationship at the end of parental leave by giving 3 months' notice.

Premature end

If you become pregnant again during your parental leave, you can terminate your registered parental leave prematurely in order to take advantage of the statutory maternity protection periods and the associated rights. You must inform your employer of this. Parental leave ends at the earliest when your employer receives your notification.

• The employer must certify the parental leave.
• You will not receive a salary from your employer during parental leave. However, you can apply for parental allowance.
• Your leave can be reduced by one twelfth for each full calendar month of parental leave, unless you work part-time for your employer during your parental leave.
• Part-time employment of up to 32 hours per week is permitted during parental leave. This applies to all parents whose children were born after August 2021. If your child was born before September 1, 2021, you may not work more than 30 hours per week during parental leave.

Please note:

If you are unable to return to work immediately after the end of your parental leave (e.g. due to a lack of childcare), this is relevant for social insurance purposes. Check with your health insurance fund in advance whether you are covered by social insurance during this time.

As a parent, you can take parental leave.

Each parent is entitled to a temporary and unpaid leave of absence from work to care for and bring up the child. The entitlement lasts until the child is 3 years old.

During parental leave, your employment relationship is suspended. At the end of parental leave, your employment relationship comes back to life and your employer must employ you again in accordance with the agreements made in your employment contract.

Your employer

Your employer