Children's sick days & children's sick pay

If the child is ill: How much is the child sickness benefit? Where can I apply for it? All information about children's sick days and children's sick pay.

A sick child is a major challenge, especially for working parents: they want to do their best at work and be there for their child at the same time. The law provides for children's sick days for these situations. We summarize what parents are entitled to in 2024/25.

Verena Frech, pme specialist advisor for childcare and work-life balance, has summarized the most important conditions.

Who is entitled to children's sick days and children's sick pay?

Parents are entitled to children's sick days under the following conditions:

• You are employed.
• You have statutory health insurance and are entitled to sickness benefit yourself.
• Your child is also covered by statutory health insurance.
• Your child is under 12 years old (there is no age limit for disabled children).
• Your child lives in your household.
• A medical certificate confirms that your child is ill.
• There is no other adult living in your household who can look after your child.

How many children's sick days am I entitled to in 2024/25?

• 2024/25, each legally insured parent is entitled to 15 working days per calendar year per legally insured child.
• If you have several children , each parent is entitled to a maximum of 35 working days per calendar year.
• Single parents are entitled to 30 child sick days for one child and a maximum of 70 days per year for several children.

Who pays my salary if the child is ill?

Children's sick days are a temporary leave of absence that you must register with your employer. Whether this leave is paid by your employer or not depends on your employment contract or collective agreement.

There is a legal basis for both variants.

According to Section 616 of the German Civil Code (BGB), paid leave of absence is generally possible if you are unable to work for a relatively insignificant period of time through no fault of your own. Paid leave can be limited in time; the limit is often 5 days per year, because according to current case law, a company would have to continue to pay the salary for up to five working days. However, the employer can contractually exclude paid leave in accordance with Section 616 BGB.

If paid leave is excluded or the available paid days have already been used, § 45 SGB V applies. This provides for unpaid leave with the possibility of sick pay if you have to be absent from work to supervise, look after and care for a sick child.

How much is the child sickness benefit?

• Children's sickness benefit is generally up to 90% of net earnings, but is capped (see point 4).
• It can amount to up to 100% of net earnings if taxable one-off payments (e.g. Christmas bonus) were made in the previous 12 calendar months.
• The maximum rate is based on the annually adjusted contribution assessment ceiling (2024: €5.175 per month).
• The gross child sickness benefit is 70% of the calendar day contribution assessment ceiling, which corresponds to €120.75 per day in 2024.
• Contributions for pension, unemployment and long-term care insurance are then deducted from the gross child sickness benefit.
• Child sickness benefit is tax-free, but is subject to progression.

Accordingly, the child sickness benefit is significantly lower than the parents' actual net earnings.

New from 2024: If the child is admitted to hospital, there is an unlimited entitlement to child sickness benefit.

What documents do I need to receive child sickness benefit?

• Medical certificate
• Application for child sickness benefit
• Certificate of earnings from the employer

All documents must be completed in full and submitted to the applicant's health insurance fund.

Further useful information on children's sick days and children's sick pay

Parents who work from home are also entitled to child sick days and child sick pay if they are unable to work due to caring for their sick child.

Entitlement to child sickness benefit can be transferred from one parent to the other if both parents are employed and have statutory health insurance. However, the employer must agree to this.

Parents with private health insurance are generally not entitled to child sickness benefit. However, there are insurance policies that can also include children's sickness benefit. If the child itself has private health insurance, there is no entitlement to child sickness benefit, even if one parent has statutory health insurance.

If a child has to be looked after due to an accident , the statutory accident insurance will cover the costs if the accident occurred in kindergarten, after-school care or at school or on the way there or back home.

Parents whose child is seriously ill and has a very short life expectancy can receive sickness benefit for an unlimited period of time . The child does not have to live in their household.

Recipients of unemployment benefit I or citizen's allowance continue to receive their benefits if they are caring for their sick child and cannot be available to the office at this time. Unemployed persons are entitled to the same number of child sick days as employed persons.