Care Periods

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Your employer is required to grant you full or partial unpaid leave from work to care for a close relative. Close relatives include the following persons: grandparents, parents, parents-in-law, spouses, people in a civil partnership, persons in a marriage-like or civil-partnership-like relationship, siblings, one’s own children, adopted or foster children of your spouse or domestic partner, children-in-law and grandchildren, stepparents, and relatives by marriage.

You also have the option of claiming a further leave of absence under the Family Care Leave Act following a leave of absence under the Care Leave Act. The various leaves of absence must follow each other immediately in time. During this time, you have protection against dismissal.

Care time

Employees can take a full or partial unpaid leave of absence from work for up to six months.

Requirements

• A care level from 1 to 5 is available.
• You are caring for a close relative in their usual environment, i.e. at home.
• You are employed by an employer with at least 16 employees.

Procedure

• You notify your employer of your leave of absence at least ten working days before the start.
• The period for the partial or full leave of absence is a maximum of six months.
• In the event of a combination with other leaves of absence, these must follow each other immediately.

Family care time

Employees can take a partial unpaid leave of absence from work for up to 24 months.

Requirements

• A care level from 1 to 5 is available.
• You are caring for a close relative in their usual environment, i.e. at home.
• You are employed by an employer with at least 26 employees.

Procedure

• You notify your employer of your leave of absence no later than eight weeks before the start.
• The period for the leave of absence is a maximum of 24 months.
• This is a partial leave of absence, whereby you reduce your weekly working hours to up to 15 hours.
• Your health, long-term care, pension, and unemployment insurance remain in place.
• In the event of a combination with other leaves of absence, these must follow each other immediately.