Basic parental pay is provided for at least the first 2 months and up to the first 12 month of your child's life for one parent. If both (or single) parents take parental leave, they can receive parental pay for up to 14 months. You can divide up the parental pay months as you wish. You can take parental leave and pay at the same time or alternate. Parental pay is available only during the first 14 months of your child's life. After that, you can apply for ElterngeldPlus or a partnership bonus.

Extension option: You can double the amount of time you receive monthly payments by halving them. The actual parental leave period remains the same. Please note that it might not be possible for the entire extended period to be exempt from health insurance contributions. Contact your health insurance provider about this.

NEW: For births as of 1 April 2024, receiving simultaneous basic parental pay is possible only for a maximum of one month and only within the first 12 months of your child's life. Furthermore, as of 1 April 2024, parents who have taxable income over €200,000 will not be eligible for parental pay; as of 1 April 2025, parents with taxable income of over €175,000 will no longer be eligible. These thresholds will presumably also apply to single parents with the same incomes.

Parental pay is income-based salary compensation. Parental pay mostly constitutes 65% of a parent’s prior income (the minimum rate is €300 and the maximum €1,800 per month). Income earned in part-time employment during parental leave is also taken into consideration when calculating parental pay. In this case, parents receive only a proportion of the “lost” income.

Apply for parental pay with the office responsible. Depending on your state of residence, you can use the free application service ElterngeldDigital to complete the application electronically (at www.elterngeld-digital.de) and submit it directly. For more information, please consult the authorities responsible for your district: Hamburg’s district offices.

With the parental pay plus model (ElterngeldPlus), part-timers can use their basic monthly parental pay for two months instead of one. The pay is simply split into two and you can enjoy the subsidy for twice as long.

The partnership bonus (Partnerschaftsbonus) provides parents working between 24 and 32 hours per week simultaneously over a period of 4 months with an extra 4 months of parental pay plus funding.

The brochure "Elterngeld, ElterngeldPlus und Elternzeit" (PDF, in German only) of the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) details various possible scenarios.

In particular single parents may profit from parental pay plus and the partnership bonus. A part-time income combined with 4 parental pay plus months will allow you to take care of your children for longer than 14 months and to keep pace with the demands of your workplace at the same time. Single parents may also receive additional funding comparable with the partnership bonus. If you work 24 to 32 hours per week for at least 4 consecutive months, you will qualify for a further 4 months of parental pay plus payments.

For detailed information on parental pay plus, the partnership bonus as well as on flexibility during parental leave, please visit the webpages of the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ).

One parent can claim parental pay for a maximum of 12 months. Parents can extend the payment period to 14 months if both partners take leave. This provision was introduced in 2007 and is the reason why many fathers take exactly two months of paid parental leave. This new provision was erroneously referred to as “paternal leave” (so-called Vätermonate), lending the impression that fathers were only permitted to take 2 months of leave. Of course, this is not the case. Both parents can take leave as they see fit, determining who takes leave when and for how long.

To qualify for extended parental pay, at least 1 parent must have a decreased income for 2 months after the child is born. This can be any 2 months within the first 14 months of the child’s life.

In addition, at least 1 parent must have had an income from gainful activity (employment or self-employment) during the 12 months before the child was born. If neither parent had an income from gainful activity during that period, the parents are not eligible for extended parental pay. If only 1 parent was employed or self-employed before the child’s birth, this parent must have a decreased income for 2 months after the child is born to qualify for extended parental pay. This can be any 2 months within the first 14 months of the child’s life.

• Family Services would like to support fathers who want to take parental leave! Please contact the Family Office!