Working while receiving parental allowance

Yes, you can work up to 32 hours per week. If you work more, you will lose your entitlement to parental allowance. The hourly limit does not have to be adhered to every week, but as an average of the working hours in the month of your child's life.

Please note: You must inform the parental allowance office immediately if you start working while you are receiving parental allowance.

This depends on how you prove your income. If you prove your income with an income statement, the so-called "inflow principle" applies. This means that income is taken into account when payment is received. If the payment is received while you are receiving parental allowance, the payment will be partially offset against the parental allowance. It does not matter when you provided the service for which the payment is made.

If you prove your income with a balance sheet, the so-called "realization principle" applies. Under the realization principle, income is taken into account at the point in time when the profit is made. In the case of services, for example, this is the time at which you have provided the service and are therefore entitled to the payment. If you have provided the service before you receive parental allowance, the payment is not offset against the parental allowance. It does not matter when you receive the payment.

Yes, as a rule you will then receive less parental allowance. This is because parental allowance replaces part of the income you had before the birth and no longer have afterwards. It compensates for the difference between your income before and after the birth. The more you earn after the birth, the smaller the difference and therefore the lower your parental allowance.

However, you are entitled to a minimum amount: you will receive at least 300 euros per month from Basic Parental Allowance or 150 euros per month from Parental Allowance Plus - even if you earn the same amount after the birth as before.

Parental allowance is paid during the month of life for which it is intended. In North Rhine-Westphalia, payment is made on the 1st calendar day of the respective month of life.

Example:

• Birth of the child on July 15, 2022
• Third month of life = September 15, 2022 - October 14, 2022

Parental allowance for the third month of life is paid around October 1, 2022.