Part-time during parental leave: your entitlement

Parental leave does not necessarily mean dropping out of the job entirely. You can work part-time during parental leave, and under certain conditions you even have a legal entitlement to it.

Reach your next steps and the matching ready-made texts in just a few minutes, free of charge:

Apply for part-time →

Your chances of getting your money back

During parental leave you can work part-time. In companies with more than 15 employees there is, after at least six months of company tenure, an entitlement to a reduction of working hours (as a rule to 15 to 32 hours per week, § 15 BEEG).

You must submit the application on time and in text form. The employer can only reject it for urgent operational reasons. The part-time work can be with your own employer or, with their consent, with another employer.

What you should do now

1
1. Check the conditions
A company with more than 15 employees, at least 6 months there?
2
2. Set your desired hours
Determine how many hours (as a rule 15 to 32 per week) you want to work.
3
3. Apply on time
Submit the application in text form while observing the statutory deadline.
4
4. If rejected
The employer may only reject for urgent operational reasons; otherwise you can enforce the entitlement.

Frequently asked questions

May I work during parental leave?

Yes, part-time. In companies with more than 15 employees you even have an entitlement, after at least six months of company tenure, to a reduction of working hours during parental leave, as a rule to 15 to 32 hours per week (§ 15 BEEG). You must submit the application on time and in text form.

Can the employer reject part-time during parental leave?

Only for urgent operational reasons. If the conditions (company size, company tenure, hours range, deadline) are met, you have an entitlement that the employer may not refuse without more. If they reject it without urgent operational reasons, you can enforce the entitlement in court if necessary.

Take action now

We put together the ready-made texts and the right places to contact for you.

Apply for part-time Check a suspicious message

More help: Emergency by phone · Act together · Right to a lawyer · All guides

General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.