Children's sick pay and Corona: Requirements, application, amount - the most important information

Created: 01/28/2022, 09:49 am

By: Patricia Huber

The day care center closes due to Corona, but there are no childcare options - what then?

The children's sick days help here.

© Julian Stratenschulte/dpa

When the daycare center or school closes because of Corona, many working parents don't know what to do with their offspring.

In order to relieve employees, child sickness benefits then apply.

What is important.

Berlin/Munich - Home schooling: A term that has probably become an absolute nonsense for many parents in the past two years.

Increasingly, entire classes, or even kindergarten and daycare groups, have to be cared for at home.

The reason for this is either Corona cases in the class or group, or a lack of staff due to Corona.

But what to do with the child if you are working yourself?

This is why there are children's sick days and children's sick pay.

Parents can apply for a total of 30 working days.

Single parents get 60 days.

Before the Corona crisis, it was 20 and 50 days.

But when can you actually use it?

The most important questions at a glance.

Children's sick pay: Does the child really have to be sick?

Actually, the child has to be ill for parents to receive child sickness benefit.

But during the corona crisis, the government adapted this regulation to the extraordinary situation.

So if childcare is restricted for pandemic reasons, parents are entitled to child sickness benefit.

So not only when the child has to be quarantined, but also when the facility has to be closed due to Corona*.

According to the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, this applies until March 19, 2022.

What requirements do parents and children have to meet?

Both the parent applying for child sickness benefit and the child must have statutory health insurance.

In addition, the child must not be older than twelve years and there must be no other person living in the household who could look after the child.

Even those who receive parental allowance and work part-time can use the children's sick days - without the parental allowance being reduced as a result.

Although mini-jobbers may take unpaid leave, they are not entitled to child sickness benefit.

How much is child sickness benefit and how do I apply for it?

As a rule, child sickness benefit is 90 percent of the lost net wages.

It can be applied for at the respective health insurance company with which the parent and child are insured.

Some health insurance companies require a certificate from the day care center or school.

The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs* provides a template for this on its website.

How flexibly can children’s sick days be taken?

Parents can also split the children's sick days into individual days of the week.

For example, only two days could be taken in a week if someone else can take care of the rest of the days.

However, a release for just half a day or a few hours is not possible.

Children's sick day despite home office: is that possible?

Parents who work or are able to work from home are also entitled to child sickness benefit.

Employers are also not allowed to demand that overtime be reduced instead of child sickness benefit.