Taking Time Off Due to Illness - An Attractive Option to Consider
In Germany, parents who need to take time off work to care for a sick child can claim the Sick Child Benefit (Kinderkrankengeld). Here's a step-by-step guide on how to apply and what conditions you need to meet.
Eligibility and Conditions
To be eligible for Sick Child Benefit, the child must be under 12 years old (or older if disabled and unable to care for themselves). The parent must also be covered by the statutory public health insurance (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) that also covers the child in the family insurance plan. The child must be ill and require care at home, making the parent unable to work.
Parents are entitled to up to 15 days per child per year of child sick leave, or 30 days for single parents; for families with multiple children, a combined maximum of 30 days applies, or 70 days for single parents.
Application Process
- Inform your employer as soon as your child falls ill and you need to take leave to care for them.
- Get the medical certificate for your child’s illness from a doctor.
- Submit the certificate and application for child sick benefit to your statutory health insurance provider.
- Your health insurer will then pay the sick child benefit directly after verification.
Benefit Amount
The Sick Child Benefit pays up to 70% of the parent's gross salary, capped at 90% of net income, for the days taken off to care for the sick child, commencing after the employer’s continued payment ends (usually after 6 weeks of the parent’s own sick leave).
Additional Notes
- For sick leave related to the parent's own illness, the employer pays full salary for up to 6 weeks, then statutory health insurance pays Krankengeld (sick pay).
- Normally, an employer must continue to pay for up to five working days if an employee's child is sick.
- Sick child days can be transferred from mother to father under certain conditions.
- If a person receives more than 410 euros in replacement income per year in total, they must file a tax return for the affected year.
- There will be a change next year regarding the number of sick child days per child.
It's important to note that this sick child pay ensures parents receive financial support when taking necessary time off work due to their child’s illness without losing their salary during this period.
However, this benefit mainly applies to publicly insured parents; parents with private insurance often do not have this option unless special coverage is purchased. This can be excluded in collective bargaining and employment contracts.
Alternatives to using sick child days include negotiating with the employer for vacation days, working from home, or making up the hours.
Sick child benefit is a normal replacement income, similar to regular sick pay, unemployment, or short-time work benefits. In such cases, sick child benefit comes into play.
To claim sick child benefit, an individual must be legally insured with health insurance and not receive salary continuation from the employer. Sick child benefit is generally tax-free, but it is subject to the progression allowance, which increases the tax rate on other income.
As a normal employee, receiving more sick child benefit may result in less money back in taxes, or in extreme cases, paying extra taxes. This certificate must be submitted to both the health insurance company and the employer.
During the Corona period, the number of sick child days per child and parent has been increased from ten to thirty, but is being reduced again to at least fifteen.
Employees are entitled to stay at home if their child is sick, but it is not guaranteed that the employer will continue to pay their salary. It is important to inform the employer beforehand that the employee cannot work.
[1] German Government Website
[2] German Statutory Health Insurance Fund
[3] German Federal Ministry of Health
[4] German Federal Employment Agency
[5] German Social Insurance
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