Skip to content

Special leave for a wedding, move or death?

You are getting married, a close relative has died or you urgently have to deal with something personal, and you wonder whether you get paid time off for it? In certain cases there is an entitlement to special leave. But it can be restricted by contract.

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

Clarify special leave

Your chances of getting your money back

Under § 616 BGB, you keep your pay if you are prevented from working for a 'comparatively insignificant time' for a personal reason, classically for your own wedding, the birth of your own child or the death of close relatives.
Caution: § 616 BGB can be waived. Many employment and collective agreements exclude paid special leave or regulate it conclusively, then what is written there applies.

What you should do now

  1. 1

    1. Check the contract

    Look in the employment or collective agreement: is special leave regulated or § 616 BGB excluded?

  2. 2

    2. Clarify the occasion and duration

    For which occasion and how many days is paid time off customary or regulated?

  3. 3

    3. Apply in good time

    Announce the need early and apply for the special leave in writing.

  4. 4

    4. Check alternatives

    If no paid special leave is provided, unpaid time off or regular vacation come into consideration.

Frequently asked questions

Am I entitled to paid special leave?

Under § 616 BGB, for certain personal events (for example, your own wedding, the birth of your own child, the death of close relatives), an entitlement to paid time off for a short period can exist. But this applies only if the entitlement is not excluded or regulated differently in the employment or collective agreement.

How many days of special leave am I entitled to?

The law names no fixed number of days, it is about a 'comparatively insignificant time'. Depending on the occasion, one to two days are customary. Above all, however, the rules in your employment or collective agreement are decisive.

Take action now

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

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.