The care and support of family members should be compatible with employment at our university. Use our caregiver guide for an initial overview of support services and precautionary measures. Whether it is telephone counselling or on-site care consultation, our free programme ELDERCARE aids with caregiving.
Overview of Care Period and Family Care Time
To reconcile caregiving and employment, caregivers can apply for a care period or family care time. Learn about the requirements and instructions for applying for the legal entitlements under the Care Leave Act.
Flexitime arrangement
In order to provide employees working in the administrative facilities with flexible working hours and to facilitate a family-friendly organisation of their working life, Leipzig University's non-academic staff are entitled to a flexitime employment agreement. This allows employees to work within a general time frame of Monday to Friday from 6am to 10pm. This facilitates family-friendly scheduling, for example with regard to committee work and networking.
Mobile working
Employees have the option to work flexibly outside Leipzig University at a location of their choice. This is to make it easier to combine caring for children and relatives, disabilities or chronic illnesses, and reintegration into the workplace with employees’ responsibilities at the university. Prerequisites include suitable work assignments, a mobile workplace, application and approval by the head of the department. You will find all the necessary information, contacts and application forms on the intranet.
Paragraph 2 of the Care Leave Act (PflegeZG) allows you to take a short-term absence from work up to ten working days for an unexpected, acute care situation.
Requirements:
- unexpected onset of an acute care situation
- a close relative in need of care
- necessity of leave to organize appropriate care or ensure nursing care provision
Extent of Short-Term Work Interruption
Complete leave for up to 10 working days
Notification of Short-Term Work Interruption
There is no term of notice. You must promptly submit a written notice to your immediate supervisor and the Department of Human Resources regarding:
- work interruption
- expected duration of absence
- name of the close relative
- exact reason for the interruption
Evidence (usually within 3 weeks)
- family status (e.g., birth or marriage certificate)
- need for care and necessity of leave (through medical certificate)
Special Protection Against Dismissal
From notification until the end of the work interruption, special protection against dismissal applies.
Entitlement to Care Support Allowance
- if there is no entitlement to continued remuneration or entitlement to sickness benefit or injury benefit for a child (Article 45 of the fifth Social Security Code / SGB V or Article 45 of the fourth Social Security Code / SGB IV)
- entitlement must be claimed from the care insurance or private insurance company of the close relative (prompt application, Department of Human Resources provides renumeration certificate)
- amount: 100 percent of the lost net income if a one-off payment was received in the last 12 months, otherwise 90 percent (Article 45 Paragraph 2 Sentences 3 and 5 of the fifth Social Security Code / SGB V)
- approval certificate for the period of receipt and amount must be promptly submitted to the Department of Finances and Human Resources
Care leave according to the first paragraph of Article 3 of the Care Leave Act (Pflegezeitgesetzes - PflegeZG) allows you to take leave to care for a dependent close relative in a home environment.
Extent
Unpaid complete or partial leave (reduction of hours without legal requirements) for up to six months per dependent relative.
Certificates (usually within 3 weeks)
- family status (e.g., through birth certificate or marriage certificate)
- care dependency and level of care (through certification from the care insurance or medical service of the insurance company, or equivalent proof for privately insured individuals)
Notification and Deadline
Written notice via your supervisor to the Department of Human Resources:
- at least 10 working days prior to the desired care period
- exception: at least 8 weeks before the care period if leave was taken under the Act on Family Care Leave beforehand.
Family care leave according to Section 2(2) of the Family Care Leave Act ( Familienpflegezeitgesetzes - FPfZG) allows you to take leave to care for a dependent close relative in a home environment.
Extent
- unpaid partial leave, but minimum working time of an average of 15 hours per week
- up to 24 months per dependent relative
Certificates
- family status (e.g., through birth certificate or marriage certificate)
- care dependency and level of care (through certification from the care insurance or medical service of the insurance company, or equivalent proof for privately insured individuals)
Notification and Deadline
Written notice via your supervisor to the Department of Human Resources:
- at least 8 weeks prior to the desired family care time
- exception: at least 3 months before the desired start date if previously on leave under Article 3 Paragraph 1 or 5 of the Care Leave Act
Notification of (Partial) Leave
- all (partial) leaves under the Care Leave Act (PflegeZG) and Family Care Leave Act (FPfZG) must be announced in writing (exception: short-term work interruption)
- to the Department of Human Resources (via the immediate supervisor)
- notification form available on the intranet on the site of the Department of Human Resources
Extension of (Partial) Leave
- only within the respective permissible maximum duration
- only with the approval of the Department of Human Resources
- employer’s reasonable discretion (exception: entitlement to extension if a planned change of the caregiver cannot occur for a significant reason)
Note: except for short-term work interruption
Early Termination of (Partial) Leave
Note: except for short-term work interruption
- when dependency, care, or support ceases, or home care becomes impossible or unreasonable
- ends four weeks after the occurrence of the changed circumstances
- immediate notification of the Department of Human Resources about the changed circumstances
- in all other cases, early termination only with the approval of the Department of Human Resources
Section 3(6) of the Care Leave Act (PflegeZG) allows you to accompany a close relative (providing support) in the final phase of life.
Extent
- unpaid full or partial leave (no minimum working hours)
- up to 3 months
- per close relative
Certificates (usually within 3 weeks)
- family status (e.g., through birth certificate or marriage certificate)
- other eligibility requirements (through medical certificate)
Notification and Deadline
Notify the Department of Human Resources in writing via your immediate supervisor at least 10 working days prior to the desired start date.
ELDERCARE: Free counselling and support
Receive support in caring for family members: In nursing and care homes, professional caregivers ensure round-the-clock care. In home care, however, it requires a trusting collaboration with the caregiving family members. Our nursing specialists support and relieve you as caregiving family members. The comprehensive range of services includes various elements for guidance, consultation, and training:
Scheduled Callbacks
Submit your callback request via the Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs to our partner.
Care Consultation Hours
At regular intervals, our partner offers ELDERCARE consultation hours. There, you can clarify your questions regarding a “sudden nursing case” with care experts. Additionally, you can schedule individual appointments. Currently, the office hours are conducted exclusively online or by telephone. Please express your interest to the Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs.
On-Site Care Advice and Training
The trained nursing professionals can also provide a free care training session in the household of the care recipient or the family member if needed. This may become necessary if a family member needs to be cared for at home unexpectedly or if this is foreseeable. Participants will be empowered to ensure safe care and support for their family member. This can help prevent highly stressful events and crises between the caregiver and the care recipient in advance. Additional consultations can be arranged if needed.
Courses for Caregiving Family Members
In collaboration with the care insurance companies, free nursing courses are also offered where the essential basics of home care and support can be learned. The nursing courses are aimed at family members who are already providing care and those who are considering this decision but have not yet started caregiving. Information about upcoming courses in Leipzig is provided by our partner.
Online Courses
As not everyone has the opportunity or time to attend nursing courses and information events in person, our partner offers various ONLINE COURSES. You can access the e-learning for free from anywhere and at a convenient time.
Care guide
The DIGITAL CARE GUIDE of the Koordinierungsstelle Chancengleichheit Sachsen (KCS) provides information on legal definitions, care recipient entitlements, support services for caregiving family members, precautionary measures, as well as helpful links. A care glossary explains important terms.