Anyone who wants to combine a mini-job may ask themselves: Is that even possible? The mini-job headquarters provides information.
Employees without a main job requiring insurance can work several mini-jobs at the same time. However, the sum of all earnings must not exceed the earnings limit, as the mini-job headquarters emphasizes in a blog post. Since January 2024, this earnings limit has been “an average of 538 euros per month”. What special features apply?
No main job, but several mini-jobs: What is possible?
The mini-job center gives an example: If an employee does not have a main job subject to social insurance contributions and does a mini-job with employer A (290 euros) and then takes up another mini-job with an earnings limit with employer B (220 euros), then the earnings from both jobs are added together and amounts to a total of 510 euros. “The total earnings do not exceed the current mini-job limit of 538 euros. Both jobs remain mini-jobs and are reported to the mini-job center.” But if the employee now takes on a third job with employer C (80 euros) and, together with the earnings from the other two employers, now earns 590 euros per month, the earnings limit is exceeded. The result, as the mini-job headquarters emphasizes in the blog post: “All employers must now register their jobs with the statutory health insurance provider for social security contributions. Employment reported to the mini-job center must be deregistered accordingly.”
Exception: Short-term employment
If someone only takes on a mini-job for a short time, the earnings limit for this so-called short-term employment is not decisive, reports the German Press Agency (dpa) with reference to the mini-job headquarters. What is then crucial is that time limits are adhered to within a calendar year. The employment must then be limited in time from the outset - to three months or 70 working days.
By the way, it goes on to say: In addition to a mini-job with an earnings limit, you are allowed to have short-term employment - the two earnings are not added together. However, to ensure that there is no uniform employment relationship, it is important that the jobs are carried out by different employers.
What counts as a part-time job in a mini-job?
With a main job that is subject to social insurance contributions, employees are only allowed to do one mini-job with an earnings limit, emphasizes the mini-job headquarters. “If additional jobs are added, the chronological order is always crucial.” Only the first mini-job remains registered as a mini-job at the mini-job headquarters. The exception, as the dpa report states: The third job is short-term employment. This job can also be reported there. “All other mini-jobs must be reported to the statutory health insurance as employment subject to social insurance, regardless of the amount of earnings,” informs the mini-job headquarters in the blog post.
Don't miss anything: You can find everything about careers in the regular career newsletter from our partner Merkur.de.
Several mini-jobs: What applies to pension insurance?
Mini-jobs with an earnings limit are generally subject to pension insurance. However, mini-jobbers can be exempted from the pension insurance requirement. You then no longer pay your own contribution. This also applies to several mini-jobs, according to the mini-job headquarters, which also points out the following important point: The exemption from compulsory pension insurance applies uniformly to all mini-jobs carried out at the same time. “If you decide in a mini-job to waive your full entitlement to pension insurance benefits, then this decision also applies to all other mini-jobs you do at the same time. The exemption cannot be revoked and only ends when all mini-jobs have ended.” Employers need to be particularly careful at this point, the blog post continues. “You must also adjust and correct all of your previous social security reports.”