You can go on parental leave, when
- you are an employee,
- you live with your child and
- are personally responsible for looking after your child.
You are considered to be an employee when you are employed by a company, organization or government agency. The parental leave regulations also apply to people who work part-time, have a mini-job and those who are currently undergoing vocational training or further education. However, the self-employed, unemployed, housewives and house-husbands, pupils in school and university students cannot go on parental leave. Please note: There are special regulations for civil servants, judges and soldiers. For more information, seek advice from your human resources' department or welfare service.
Parental leave regulations apply to both your biological child and the biological child of your partner, as well as your foster children and adopted children. In exceptional cases, you can also take parental leave for your grandchild or your nieces and nephews. But doing so is only possible if the child's parents cannot take care of him/her themselves.
Important: Of course, you can still have your child cared for by a daycare centre or a babyminder during parental leave. To learn more about childcare, visit our chapter "Kita".