Apply for compensation in the event of loss of earnings
The Infection Protection Act (IfSG) protects the population in Germany. It also provides financial compensation for people affected by the protective measures.
You can receive compensation if you have a loss of earnings as a result of quarantine or a ban on activity. The ban on activity or quarantine must be ordered by the health department or another competent authority.
Furthermore, you can receive compensation if you are unable to work due to the closure of schools, childcare facilities (e.g. daycare centre) or a quarantine ordered for the child or for people with a disability due to the care of your children and therefore have a loss of earnings.
In the case of employees, payment and application to the competent authority are made by the employers. Self-employed persons can submit their application directly to the competent authority.
The application for compensation must be made retroactively within 2 years. The amount of compensation depends on the reason for the application (quarantine/ban on activity or closure of care facilities).
Applications can be submitted online for 12 federal states at www.ifsg-online.de. Here you will also find further helpful information.
The required documents vary according to the type of employment:
For the self-employed:
- Proof of income (tax assessment) of the previous year
- If available: Proof of loss of income during the period of prohibition of activity or segregation/quarantine
- If applicable, proof of insurance benefits received
- If available: Proof of the officially ordered ban on activity or the officially ordered segregation/quarantine
- If applicable, proof of vaccination status
For employers:
Wage statements for the two months before loss of earnings per employee
Wage statements for the months for which the reimbursement is claimed, per employee
If available: Proof of the officially ordered ban on activity or the officially ordered segregation/quarantine
If applicable, proof of vaccination status
For authorised representatives:
If you are submitting this application on behalf of a company or self-employed person (e.g. as a tax advisor), please submit a power of attorney.
In individual cases, further documents may be required.
- The requirements of the respective regulation (quarantine/prohibition of activity or necessary care) are met.
- There was no way to compensate for the loss of earnings with another reasonable activity or to ensure alternative, reasonable care for the child.
- The application for compensation must be submitted within 2 years.
- There was no illness or inability to work.
- The loss of earnings was not compensated by any other government measure.
However, according to Section 56 (5) sentence 1 IfSG, employers are obliged to pay employees compensation for the competent authority. However, not longer than 6 weeks. Employers then submit an application to the authority for reimbursement of the amounts paid (compensation for loss of earnings).
Applications can be submitted online via ifsg-online. Alternatively, you can download the application as a PDF document from the homepage Soziales Niedersachsen.
For employees:
Unfortunately, it is not possible to submit an application via the specialist procedure. Ask the competent authority for an application form. Employees receive compensation from their employers in the first six weeks. From the seventh week, they must submit an application to the competent authority themselves in order to continue receiving compensation.
For employers:
Employers can then have the compensation reimbursed upon request. You can submit applications on behalf of several employees and employers together. In the specialist procedure, they will find the expression "collective application" for this. If you want to submit several applications for your company, you also have the option of creating a user account. This allows you to save applications temporarily, for example if you are missing documents or information. Otherwise, it is advisable to already have all the documents available, as only a certain period of time is provided. And it is annoying when this has expired and all the data already entered is deleted.
As soon as you have entered your application online, it is automatically transmitted to the competent authority and processed and calculated with the help of the specialist procedure.
After submitting all documents and checking the claim by the clerks, you will then receive your decision. You can then find out the amount of compensation for loss of earnings granted or the reasons for a reduction or rejection.
The compensation will then be transferred to your specified account.
If you do not have access to the specialist procedure, you can also submit the application by post. For this purpose, there are corresponding PDF documents on the home page of the state of Lower Saxony. Please understand that this may lead to a longer processing. In these cases, the application is entered manually by the clerks in the specialist procedure, which may take additional time.
The processing takes place after the registration of the application and the possibly . Subsequent request for documents, as in the case of the application in the specialist procedure.
For the self-employed:
Self-employed persons can submit the application themselves.
As a self-employed person, you have the option of submitting your application via ifsg-online.de or as a paper application. The procedure is the same as for employers' applications. After the claim has been examined by the authority, a corresponding decision will be issued and the compensation will be paid.
Please understand that the processing of applications varies depending on the volume and authority. Unfortunately, it may well happen that the processing of your application can take up to 12 months or longer.
Applications will be processed in the order in which they are received.
Application Deadline: 2 YearsThe one-year period depends on the period of your segregation or your prohibition of activity, or the segregation or prohibition of activity of your employee. After the deadline has expired, you are no longer entitled to compensation for loss of earnings. As an example: Your employee was in isolation in the period from 10.02.2022 to 20.02.2022. You submit your application in April 2024. The two-year period would therefore have expired and compensation would no longer be possible. In order to make the full claim, you would have to submit your application by 09.02.2024. If you submit an application via the specialist procedure ifsg-online.de, you may receive a corresponding notification in the event of a time limit.
If you are not satisfied with the decision of the authority, you can first try to communicate your reasons and concerns. The authority will then review your request.
If the authority sticks to your decision, you have the option of filing a complaint with the competent administrative court in writing or for the record within one month of notification of the decision. In some federal states, the objection must be filed.
Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: No
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: Yes
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Lower Saxony Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour, Health and Equality
In Lower Saxony, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg, the districts and the independent cities are responsible. In the other federal states, the corresponding state authorities.
