Special leave to care for a sick child

If you must take care of your sick child, you will be exempt from work. Whether you can do this paid or unpaid depends on a number of requirements.

A medical certificate that child care is required is always necessary. A visit to the doctor is therefore essential for the right to special leave. If there is no medical certificate, you must resort to using your vacation time or compensating with your available flextime.

In addition, the exemption regulations only apply to children up to the age of 12. For civil servants, however, an exemption in the event of illness is also possible if the child is disabled and dependent on assistance.

If these basic requirements are met, here are the following entitlements to special leave:

For Salaried Employees:

For Civil Servants:

If the child and the caring parent are insured in the statutory health insurance, according to Section 45 SGB there is an entitlement to unpaid special leave of 10 days per year per child (max. 25 days a year for several children). The health insurance pays child sickness benefit (70% of gross wages, max. 90% of net wages). In the case of single parents, in terms of time, there is a double entitlement.

 

Die Krankenkasse bezahlt das Kinderkrankengeld (70% des Bruttolohns, max. 90% des Nettolohns). Bei allein erziehenden Elternteilen besteht zeitlich der doppelte Anspruch.

 

If the caring parent's annual salary (without family or expense allowances) is above the annual salary limit, according to section 33 of the FrUrlV there is an entitlement to special paid leave of 4 days per year and per child.

The annual salary limit is set annually; an amount of 56,250 Euros was set for 2016, which corresponds to a monthly income of 4,695 Euros. For 2017, this amount had been increased to 57,600 Euros.

If the child and / or caring parent are privately insured, according to section 29 of the TV-L there is an entitlement to paid special leave of 4 days..

If the above annual salary of the parent is below the annual salary limit, there is an entitlement to paid special leave of 10 days per child per year (max. 25 days a year for several children).

 

Notes on the application process:

1. Always use the "Vacation application for non-academic employees" form. Please check "Work leave / special leave" here.

2. It is helpful for us if you provide us with additional (formless) information as to whether you yourself are a salaried employee or a civil servant.

3. Please enclose a copy (!) of the medical certificate (usually blue) stating that care is required for the child who is suffering the illness.

In the case of unpaid special leave, the original certificate is used to apply for child sickness benefit from the statutory health insurance.

4. If applicable, specify on the claim that you are a single parent.

5. If you are a civil servant, please enclose a completed "Declaration of annual gross income" with your application.

6. Send the application by official means, i.e. via direct superiors and the dean's office / the manager of your department to the human resources department.