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Child sickness benefit
Sick child: what now? New rules for child sickness benefit apply from 2024
Child sick pay and time off work are regulated by law
If your child wakes up in the morning with a fever or a call comes from the daycare center that your child needs to be picked up immediately due to illness, a parent often has to stay at home at short notice to look after the sick child. You don't have to worry about your job because of this. You can look after your sick child at home if necessary. Parents have a legal right to this. Anyone with statutory health insurance can receive child sickness benefit. Find out which rules apply from January 1, 2024 here.
Less stress for parents, less bureaucracy: since the turn of the year 2023/2024, parents have been able to apply for sick leave by telephone for mild symptoms.
We have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about children's sick pay:
Yes, leave of absence from work is clearly regulated by law. You are allowed to stay at home temporarily - paid or unpaid - to care for your sick child if you are working. You should inform your employer immediately that your child is ill.
Yes, you are allowed to leave your workplace for a short time if it is urgent that you pick up your child from nursery. However, let your employer know before you leave your workplace.
Child sickness benefit compensates for a large part of the loss of earnings of working parents if they are caring for their sick child at home and the employer has excluded continued payment of wages for this case in their employment contract or collective agreement.The health insurance fund usually covers 90 percent of net earnings for a limited number of days.
From 2024, the following regulations will apply:
Each parent with statutory health insurance is entitled to 15 days of child sickness benefit for each child. If there are several children, there is an annual upper limit of 35 days per parent.
Single parents are entitled to 30 children's sick days per child per year. If there are several children, there is a maximum total of 70 days per calendar year.
Parents who are admitted to a hospital together with their sick child are also entitled to child sickness benefit for the period of co-admission. These days are not counted towards the 15 actual children's sick days. The prerequisite is that the co-admission is medically necessary.
Yes, both parents are basically free to decide who takes care of the child and stays away from work.
The parents can also take turns looking after the child, meaning that one parent can, for example, look after the sick child for two days and the other parent for three days. The sick days can then be applied for individually.
You must meet the following requirements to receive child sickness benefit from statutory health insurance:
Your child is under the age of twelve. The age limit does not apply if your child is disabled or in need of assistance.
The parent providing care is covered by statutory health insurance and your child is self-insured or covered by family insurance.
You are not entitled to continued payment of wages by your employer.
No other person in your household can take over the care and nursing of your child.
Check with your employer whether you will continue to receive your salary if you are temporarily unable to work. If your employer does not continue to pay your salary, statutory health insurance will step in. To do this, you must inform your health insurance provider about your child's illness.
Many insurance companies allow you to apply online.
The child sickness benefit usually compensates for 90 percent of the lost net earnings.
If your child is ill and only shows mild symptoms that do not necessarily require a visit to the doctor, you can request a medical certificate by calling your pediatrician's office. In this case, you do not have to present your child to your pediatrician on the first day, as was previously the case. This regulation is intended to help relieve the burden on parents and pediatricians and avoid infections in the waiting room.
The prerequisite for a sick note by telephone is that your child is known to the doctor's practice. It is at the doctor's discretion whether the sick note can be issued by telephone or whether an examination by video or in person is necessary after all.
The certificate can be issued for a maximum of five days.
If your child continues to be ill beyond the first five days, however, you must go to the doctor's surgery for a follow-up certificate to be issued.
If you have private health insurance, you are not entitled to child sickness benefit. Ask your private health insurance provider whether there are any alternative arrangements
If one parent has private insurance and the other has statutory insurance, the insurance company with which your child is co-insured is responsible.
Where can we find help and advice?
If you are not granted paid leave by your employer when your child is ill and you have questions about children's sick pay, it is best to contact your statutory health insurance fund directly. You can find further online information on how to apply for child sickness benefit on the websites of many health insurance funds under the keyword "Apply for child sickness benefit".
Further informationLinks to read more
You can find information on children's sick days and children's sick pay on the Federal Ministry of Health's website:
