Parental allowance and parental leave: basics

In short: Parental allowance financially supports parents in Germany when they work less or not at all after a child is born. Parental leave is the legal entitlement to time off work.

In more detail: Both parents can receive parental allowance; the total entitlement period depends on how it is split.

In detail

• Basic parental allowance: Up to 14 months, the amount depends on previous net income.
• ElterngeldPlus: Longer receipt with a lower monthly amount, combines well with part-time work.
• Partnership bonus: Extra months if both parents work part-time in parallel.
• Parental leave: Entitlement to up to three years per child, can be split between the parents.
• Protection from dismissal: Special protection against dismissal applies during parental leave.
• Application: Parental allowance is applied for at the responsible parental allowance office, often possible online.
• Connection: Supplements other family benefits such as child benefit (kindergeld-und-familienleistungen).