Back to work early

Some mothers and fathers only want to take a short career break after the birth of their child and then quickly return to work. As parents, you will no doubt be asking yourself a lot of questions: How can things continue for you personally after maternity leave? How can you reconcile family and career? What options do parents with children have for returning to work and what do they need to think about? We have compiled the most important information for you.

A period of rest and recuperation is required by law for most (expectant) mothers. The Maternity Protection Act stipulates that employers must give pregnant women in employment six weeks' leave before the birth and mothers eight weeks' leave after the birth. Longer protection periods exist for multiple or premature births and children with disabilities. It is possible to return to work immediately afterwards. This has the advantage that you do not lose your job and have little or no financial loss.

It is best to start thinking with your partner during the pregnancy about how things should continue for you personally after the birth of the child. Questions that need to be clarified are, for example:

The legal regulations offer you the following models of compatibility if you are employed:

In your application for parental leave, it is legally sufficient to state the duration of your planned maternity leave. However, the earlier and more concretely you communicate your career plans to your employer after the birth, the better they can plan with you and support your return to work. Let your manager know your wishes and ideas at an early stage and clarify the conditions for your return to work.

These questions will give you ideas for the discussion:

• Would I like to take a short or long baby break?
• When would I like to return to work?
• How do we want to distribute the months of parental leave?
• Would I like to return to work full-time or part-time?
• Would I like more flexibility regarding the location of my working hours?
• Is it possible to organize a home office day to make it easier to combine family and work?
• How can a career break be avoided despite part-time work?
• What opportunities are there within the company to keep up to date despite taking maternity leave?
• Can my employer make me an offer for professional development during parental leave?

Once the framework conditions for returning to work have been clarified, it is important to plan everything else well. Because there is no way around it: reconciling a child and a career requires organizational talent and discipline. Forward-looking agreements and good preparation will make your return to work easier.

• Keep in personal contact with your company during parental leave.
• Consult with your partner about the planned family and working hours.
• Distribute responsibilities in the family and household tasks equally
• Organize reliable childcare as early as possible. Plan a sufficiently long settling-in period.
• Get support and relief where possible, for example from grandparents, trusted people or a home help.
• Build up a network of people in your environment who can step in at short notice if the caregiver is unavailable, the child suddenly falls ill or a work appointment takes longer.

An important question for many parents is where and by whom their child can be well looked after during times of absence. There are many different childcare options in North Rhine-Westphalia. Whether it's a daycare center, childminder, au pair or grandparents - you should think about it in good time. Every child from the age of 1 has a legal right to a place in a daycare center. Single parents are given priority in the allocation of childcare places. If there is actually no place available, the municipality must cover the costs of alternative childcare models. You can find more information about childcare and which solution is right for you here on the Familienportal.NRW.

Working parents often suffer from a guilty conscience. But what counts is not the number, but the quality of the hours spent with your child. Your child will be reliably looked after by the childminder and in the daycare center and will benefit from the support and early education. Please don't let those around you tell you otherwise. Stand by your decision, even if other people have different opinions. Returning to work is your decision alone. And if the job is right for you personally, then it is also best for your family.