Quick answer
Important
1. What Elternzeit gives you
It is a statutory right to step away from your job to look after your child, without losing the job. It is unpaid — the money question is Elterngeld — and both parents can take it, together or in sequence.
Separately, Mutterschutz protects the mother immediately before and after birth with a stricter employment ban and its own payments. Elternzeit typically follows it.
2. Notifying your employer
You have to give written notice within a statutory period before the leave starts, stating which months you will take. The commitment matters: within the first phase you are effectively fixing your plan, so think about the whole period before you file.
Part of the entitlement can usually be saved for later years, subject to employer agreement in some cases. Ask about this explicitly rather than assuming.
3. Protection and returning
You are protected against dismissal during parental leave, and you have the right to return to a comparable position. Part-time work during the leave is possible within limits and can be requested from your employer.
Keep the correspondence. Most disputes in this area are about what was agreed and when it was communicated.
4. Frequently asked questions
No. It is unpaid leave. Elterngeld is the separate benefit that replaces part of the lost income, and the two are usually applied for around the same time.
Parental leave itself is a right, not a request, provided you meet the notice requirements. Part-time work during the leave and deferring months to later years can involve the employer’s agreement.
Official information
Rules and amounts change. Always verify current requirements using official sources.
Family benefits overview, opens in a new tab
Familienportal — Federal Ministry for Family Affairs
Official summary of German family benefits, including who can claim and where to apply.
Working in Germany, opens in a new tab
Federal Employment Agency
Official guidance on employment, jobseeking and the services the employment agency provides.
Related guides
Amounts and legal requirements can change. We verify this information against official sources and show when each figure was last checked, but always confirm important requirements with the responsible authority before you apply.
Einfach Germany is an independent information platform and is not affiliated with the German government.