All employees who provide care are legally entitled to time off work for a short period, regardless of the size of their employer. Temporary leave from work means that, once per calendar year for each person in need of care, you are allowed to take up to ten days of unpaid leave from work to organize the best possible care for your family member in need of care in the event of a sudden deterioration in their health.

During this leave period, you can, for example, find out about long-term care services, schedule an assessment appointment, or plan follow-up care after a hospital stay. If the family member has not previously required long-term care—that is, if no care level has been determined—it is sufficient for a doctor to certify the anticipated need for long-term care.

Care Support Allowance

If you are not otherwise entitled to continued pay for the leave of up to 10 days, you may be eligible for a care support allowance. This is a wage replacement benefit, comparable to the benefit provided to parents who are caring for a sick child. You should apply for this benefit through your family member’s long-term care insurance fund or private long-term care insurance company. Please attach a doctor’s note to your application. The employer must be notified immediately; he or she will usually also need a doctor’s note. There is protection against termination during this period.

The care support allowance is calculated in the same way as sick pay for children. Accordingly, the gross care support allowance amounts to 90% of the lost net wages. In total, the daily support payment may not exceed 70% of the contribution assessment ceiling. At your request, your employer will issue the appropriate pay stub. Although civil servants are not entitled to a care allowance, they do receive“special leave with continued pay.”