Apply for children's sickness benefit for those with statutory health insurance and transfer children's sickness benefit days to another parent
You will receive child sickness benefit as a substitute for lost wages if you
- have statutory health insurance,
- are entitled to sickness benefit,
- your child has statutory health insurance, is ill and is under 12 years of age,
- do not have another person in the household who can look after the child,
- have to supervise, care for or care for your child and are therefore unable to work,
- are released from work by your employer and do not receive continued payment of wages (no paid time off).
For parents of children with disabilities who are dependent on assistance, the age limit of 12 years does not apply.
You can apply for child sickness benefit from your statutory health insurance company. To do this, you must submit the so-called child sick leave (sample 21).
The children's sickness benefit is generally 90 percent of your lost net salary. If you received one-off payments from your employer in the year before the child's illness (e.g. Christmas bonus), the child sickness benefit amounts to 100 percent of the lost net salary. For full-time self-employed persons, children's sickness benefit is paid in the amount of sickness benefit in the event of their own incapacity for work. Due to the statutory contribution assessment ceiling, the maximum amount of children's sickness benefit is capped.
Children's sickness benefit is subject to social security contributions. This means that your health insurance company automatically deducts long-term care, pension and unemployment insurance contributions. Health insurance contributions are not due.
You can
- 10 working days of child sickness benefit per child per year
- If you are a single parent, your entitlement increases to 20 working days.
- If you have 3 or more children, you can receive child sickness benefit for up to 25 working days per year; Single parents for up to 50 working days.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of working days on which you can receive child sickness benefit has been increased and in 2021 it is:
- 1 child: a maximum of 30 working days, a maximum of 60 working days for single parents;
- 2 children: maximum 60 working days, single parents maximum 120 working days;
- 3 or more children: maximum 65 working days, single parents 130 working days.
Due to the Corona pandemic, you can also apply for child sickness benefit in 2021 if you have to look after your child at home because:
- a pandemic-related official school or daycare closure,
- officially ordered or extended company or school holidays,
- Abolition of compulsory attendance at school,
- other pandemic-related restriction of the childcare services for your child,
- Quarantine of your child (ban on entry) or
- an official recommendation that your child should not attend daycare or school.
You will need to prove one of the reasons to your health insurance company. For this, your health insurance company may require a certificate from the daycare center or school.
If your employer gives you paid time off from work, this time will count towards your entitlement days for child sick pay. This means that your entitlement to child sickness benefit is suspended as long as the employer gives you paid time off. If, for example, your employer has continued to pay you your net salary for 5 days, you will still be entitled to child sickness benefit for 5 working days of your maximum entitlement to child sickness benefit of up to 10 working days per year (1 child).
If you have already used up your maximum children's sick days, it may be possible for your partner to transfer the children's sick pay days to you. You must also submit an application to your health insurance company for this. Your employer must also be prepared to release you again without pay.
If your child is seriously ill and under 12 years of age or disabled and dependent on help, you will receive child sickness benefit for an unlimited period of time. You must still meet the following prerequisites:
- You and your child have statutory health insurance,
- You are entitled to sickness benefit,
- Your child needs to be supervised, cared for or cared for by you because of a fatal illness, which is why you cannot work,
- your child's illness must have already reached a very advanced stage, require palliative medical treatment or You, your partner want this treatment and the disease must lead to a limited life expectancy of weeks or a few months,
- You are released from work by your employer and do not receive any continued payment of wages (no paid time off).
You must submit a certificate to your health insurance company stating that your child is seriously ill, which is fatal.
Process flow
You can submit the application for children's sickness benefit and the application for the transfer of children's sick days by post and - in the case of many statutory health insurance companies - in person at the office or submit it online.
Normally, the procedure is as follows:
- You will receive a medical child sick note (sample 21).
- Fill out the application form from your statutory health insurance company. This is located on the back of the pattern 21. If necessary, your health insurance company will request further information with a separate application.
- Submit the child sick note (sample 21) to your health insurance company together with any other required documents.
- Inform your employer about the child's sick leave.
- The health insurance company will review your application and transfer your children's sickness benefit to you. For employees: Your health insurance company will only pay your child sickness benefit after your employer has provided the health insurance company with the necessary information on your lost net salary.
- Special regulation for the care of children due to the Corona pandemic:
- Fill out the application form from your statutory health insurance company.
- Attach proof of school or daycare.
- Submit the application to your health insurance company together with the proof and any other required documents.
- The health insurance company will review your application and transfer your children's sickness benefit to you. For employees: Your health insurance company will only pay your child sickness benefit after your employer has provided the health insurance company with the necessary information about your lost net salary
Requirements
- Your child is under 12 years old or has a disability and is dependent on help.
- Your child's illness has been identified and, as a result, a need for care or supervision or care.
- No other person in your household can take care of the child.
- You and your child have statutory health insurance.
- You are employed and entitled to sickness benefit.
- You will be released from work by your employer without pay.
- Even if you are self-employed and legally insured, you can receive child sickness benefit from the 1st day of your child's illness. The prerequisite for this is that you yourself are entitled to sickness benefit,
For seriously ill children:
- Your child is terminally ill and has a life expectancy of a few weeks or months.
- Your child's illness is already well advanced and must require palliative medical treatment or you or your partner would like this treatment.
- Your child is under 12 years of age or disabled and needs help.
- You and your child have statutory health insurance.
- You are employed and entitled to sickness benefit.
- You will be released from work by your employer without pay.
- Even if you are self-employed and legally insured, you can receive child sickness benefit from the 1st day of your child's illness. The prerequisite for this is that you yourself are entitled to sickness benefit, for example via a so-called optional tariff with your health insurance company.
For the transfer of children's sickness benefit days:
- Both you and your partner have statutory health insurance.
- Both you and your partner are entitled to sickness benefit.
- Your employer has agreed to the transfer of children's sick pay days. That is, your employer agrees to release you for more days.
Which documents are required?
- Medical certificate stating your child's illness and care needs ("Child Sick Leave", sample 21)
- In the case of seriously ill children, if necessary, additionally:
- Medical certificate that your child suffers from a serious, fatal illness
- In the case of children with disabilities, if necessary, additionally:
- Medical certificate or, if applicable, proof that your child has a disability and is in need of your help
- In the event of quarantine or closed care facilities due to the Corona pandemic, if necessary:
- Proof of the closure of a childcare facility, the ordering or extension of company or school holidays, the lifting of compulsory attendance at school, the restriction of childcare services, the order of quarantine (ban on entry) or the official recommendation not to visit the childcare facility.
Please check with your health insurance company whether proof is required.
What are the fees?
You don't have to pay anything for the application.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
You should take your child to the doctor as soon as possible – preferably on the 1st day of illness – in order to receive the child's sick note (sample 21) and inform your employer about your absence.
Processing duration
Processing usually takes about 4 to 9 business days.
For a quick processing and decision, your health insurance company must have the necessary information and, if necessary, the necessary documents complete and meaningful.
The health insurance company decides on applications in a timely manner, whereby the statutory processing deadline is observed in order to protect patients' rights.
Please note that the stated processing time is an average value of all health insurance companies. It may vary in individual cases.
The exact processing time also depends on the complexity of the individual case and can be extended accordingly. The same applies if documents or records are sent by post to you or your health insurance company.
Legal basis
Applications / forms
- Forms: yes
- Online procedure possible: Many statutory health insurance companies offer an online procedure.
- Written form required: no
- Personal appearance required: no
Appeal
- Contradiction
- Action before the Social Court
What else should I know?
If you yourself are privately insured and the other parent is legally insured, it depends on where the child is insured: If the child is legally insured, the legally insured parent can apply for child sickness benefit.
In the event of an accident of your child at school or daycare, you will receive child injury benefit from the accident insurance. This is usually calculated and paid by your health insurance company on behalf of the responsible accident insurance institution.
If you are unemployed, the Employment Agency will continue to pay unemployment benefit for a limited period of time if you are unable to continue your job search due to the illness and the resulting care needs of your child.
Information on sickness benefit on the website of the Federal Ministry of Health
Information on children's sick pay and leave from work from the Federal Center for Health Education
Technically approved by
Federal Ministry of Health
Professionally released on
30.11.2021
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
