Children’s sick days 2024
The entitlement to child sickness benefit will be halved from January 1st
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As part of a new law, the entitlement to child sickness benefit will be set for 2024 and 2025. Compared to the last two years, parents are only granted half of the child sickness benefit days.
If a child becomes ill, working parents can take time off work to look after their offspring. For this circumstance, parents who provide care and are legally insured receive child sickness benefit. However, this period is limited and will be reorganized next year.
Child sickness benefit 2024: Corona special regulations expire
Due to the pandemic, entitlement to child sickness benefit has been expanded in the last two years. Each legally insured parent could claim child sickness benefit for a maximum of 30 working days per child per year. Single parents were therefore entitled to double the entitlement of 60 working days. If there are several children, each parent can apply for child sickness benefit for a maximum of 65 working days, and single parents can apply for child sickness benefit for a maximum of 130 working days.
This special regulation now runs from January 1st. 2024 out. In comparison to the Corona regulations, the new regulations that were passed in the Nursing Studies Strengthening Act only provide for half the days on which parents of sick children are entitled to child sickness benefit.
What will apply to child sickness benefit from 2024
In the next two years (2024/2025) parents can each 15 days of child sickness benefit per child relate. Single parents are entitled to 30 working days per child. The total number of annual entitlement days per parent is 35 working days, and for single parents it is 70 working days.
Child sickness benefit 2024: More child sickness benefit days than before the pandemic
Compared to the last two years, the entitlement has decreased, but since the regulations from before the pandemic would normally apply again, the number of days on which parents can receive child sickness benefit will increase in 2024.
Child sickness benefit before the pandemic:
Each parent was entitled to child sickness benefit for a maximum of 10 working days per child per year. Single parents were entitled to child sickness benefit for 20 days.
Overall (if there were several children), each parent’s entitlement to child sickness benefit was limited to a maximum of 25 working days per calendar year, and for single parents it was limited to 50 working days.
Child sickness benefit even if admitted as an inpatient
The law also stipulates that parents are also entitled to child sickness benefit if they have to be hospitalized with the sick child. Then there is You are entitled to child sickness benefit for as long as the admission lasts. There is no maximum entitlement period. These days are also not counted towards the actual child sickness benefit days. However, only with the restriction that the child has not yet reached the age of 12 or is disabled and requires help. The medical reasons and the duration of admission must be certified by the inpatient facility to the accompanying parent. This no longer applies until the child reaches the age of 9. The accompanying parent then only needs to be certified for the duration of the necessary admission. Since it is assumed that inclusion is necessary in this age range.
How much is the child sickness benefit?
The child sickness benefit is usually 90 percent of the lost net wages.
Where do I apply for child sickness benefit?
Parents can apply for child sickness benefit from their health insurance company.
Sources: Bundesgesundheitsministerium.de, tk.de