Employment With Child(ren)
As a family-friendly employer, Osnabrück University would like to support all its employees in balancing work and parenting responsibilities. On this page you will find all the information you need on issues such as maternity leave, parental leave, parental allowance, childcare and family-friendly services.
The UOS Family Service will gladly support and advise you on all issues relating to work-life balance.
Applications and Materials
Under UOS internal, you will find information on the formal procedures as well as the relevant materials and clerks in the Human Resources to apply for maternity leave or parental leave under the keyword "Absence".
Legal Aspects
The Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG) protects the health of the pregnant individual and the (unborn) child at the workplace, training, and study place during pregnancy, after childbirth, and during the breastfeeding period. Regardless of the term "maternity protection," the law applies to any person who is pregnant, has given birth, or is breastfeeding. The MuSchG aims to allow the pregnant individual to continue working as long as it is reasonable. It also seeks to prevent discrimination during pregnancy, after childbirth, and during breastfeeding. Additionally, it regulates protection periods before (six weeks) and after childbirth (eight weeks), during which work is prohibited. In cases of premature birth, the protection period after childbirth is extended by the duration of the shortened protection period before childbirth. The protection period after childbirth is also extended to twelve weeks for premature births, newborns weighing less than 2500 grams, multiple births, and upon request if a disability is diagnosed within eight weeks after birth.
As soon as you inform your supervisor that you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please also notify the responsible personnel officer in the Human Resources Department. Following the notification, your supervisor must conduct a risk assessment with you and take the necessary measures determined to protect your physical and mental health as well as that of your (unborn) child. Additionally, you must be offered a discussion on further adjustments to your working conditions.
In this context, your supervisor may only allow you to perform tasks for which either no protective measures are required or for which the necessary measures have already been implemented. If no necessary protective measures have been taken, there is a prohibition on employment for the respective tasks.
It is also important to know that, as a pregnant individual, you must be released from work to attend medical checkups if it was not possible for you to obtain an appointment outside of your working hours.
Futhermore, the protection against discrimination laid down in the MuSchG also includes special protection against dismissal for pregnant women. The law stipulates that from the beginning of the pregnancy until the end of the protection period after the birth, but at least until four months after the birth, termination of employment by the university is not permitted. This also applies up to four months after a miscarriage after the twelfth week of pregnancy. Only in special exceptional cases can the State Trade Supervisory Office declare a termination to be permissible by way of exception.
If employed during the breastfeeding period, a risk assessment must also be conducted. In addition, during the first twelve months after childbirth, you are entitled to breaks for the time required for breastfeeding.
Maternity benefit is a benefit provided by the health insurance fund, which is paid during maternity leave. The amount of maternity benefit is based on the average salary of the last three months. If your average net wage per day exceeds 13 euros, you will receive an additional allowance from your employer. The application must be submitted to your health insurance fund, and the following documents are required: the application to your personal health insurance fund, a certificate of the expected due date from your gynecologist or midwife, and, after the birth, the birth certificate or, if applicable, an alternative birth certificate.
If you are privately insured or covered by family insurance with a statutory health insurance fund, maternity benefit is paid by the Federal Social Security Office.
If you have to partially or completely stop working before and/or after the birth due to a ban on employment outside the maternity protection periods, you are entitled to maternity pay, which is calculated on the basis of your average pay for the last three calendar months prior to the start of the pregnancy.
The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs provides further information on maternity benefit and maternity pay on the Family Portal website.
Parental Leave
In Germany, parents are entitled to up to three years of parental leave per child to care for their children. During this time, they are released from work by their employer, meaning that the employment relationship remains in place and is protected by special dismissal protection. However, individuals on parental leave do not receive wages unless they continue working part-time (maximum 32 hours per week). To compensate for the loss of income, parents can apply for parental allowance.
Parental leave can be taken either directly after the birth or at a later point in time (up to the child's eighth birthday). During this period, the start and end of parental leave can be freely chosen. From the child’s third birthday onwards, only a maximum of 24 months of parental leave can be taken. Parental leave can also be divided into two or three periods; more are possible if the employer agrees. If the third period is to begin on or after the child’s third birthday, the employer may refuse this for urgent operational reasons.
Further information and advice on parental leave can be obtained from the Human Resources Department.
Further information
Parental Allowance
Parental allowance secures the economic existence of parents and provides compensation if parents have less income because they work less or not at all after the child's birth. Parental allowance is also available to parents with no income, allowing them to take time for their child. Parents are entitled to parental allowance if they live in Germany or habitually reside there, live with their child, care for and raise the child themselves, and are either not employed or employed part-time (maximum 32 hours per week). Parental allowance is also available to separated parents.
There are different types of parental allowance:
- Basic parental allowance (up to a maximum of 12 or 14 months of age)
- Parental allowance plus (up to a maximum of 32 months)
- Partnership bonus
These variants can also be flexibly combined with each other.
The amount of parental allowance depends on the income of the parent caring for the child before the birth. Parents with higher incomes receive 65% of the lost net income, and parents with lower incomes receive up to 100% of the net income. The basic parental allowance ranges from €300 to €1,800 per month, while Parental Allowance Plus ranges from €150 to €900 per month. Families with multiple children receive a sibling bonus of 10% of the parental allowance and a multiple-birth bonus of €300 per additional newborn child. If you work during the period of receiving parental allowance (maximum 32 hours per week), the income will be considered in the calculation of the allowance. The amount is based on the difference between your income before and after the birth.
Ideally, you should apply for parental allowance immediately after the birth of your child. Retroactive payments are only possible for the last 3 months before the application is received.
Child Benefit
Child benefit is intended to ensure the basic provision for a child from birth until they turn 18 and is paid regardless of income. If the child is subsequently unemployed and registered as seeking work, child benefit can be received until the child's 21st birthday. If the child is in education, engaged in a recognized voluntary service, or in a transition period of up to four months, it can be received until the child's 25th birthday. From January 1, 2023, child benefit will be €250 per month for each child.
Child benefit must be applied for in writing at the family benefits office of the relevant employment agency.
Child Supplement
The child supplement (KiZ) is an additional benefit for families with low incomes. It is not automatically granted and must also be applied for at the Family Benefits Office of the relevant Employment Agency. As of January 1, 2023, the child supplement is up to €250 per child per month, depending on the financial situation of the family. This includes the immediate allowance of €20 per child per month, introduced in 2022. Families receiving the child supplement can also be exempted from daycare fees.
The maintenance advance is a state benefit for children of single parents. Among other things, this requires that the single parent and their child live in Germany and the other parent either pays no maintenance, only irregular maintenance, or maintenance that is less than the amount of the maintenance advance. The amount of the advance is based on the minimum maintenance rate throughout Germany.
The maintenance advancements can be paid until the child reaches the age of 12 (12th birthday). For children aged 12 to 17, children are also entitled to these advancements if the child is not dependent on SGB II benefits, or if the single parent receiving SGB II benefits earns at least 600 euros gross per month. The application for maintenance advancements must be submitted in writing to the relevant youth welfare office. If the maintenance advancements do not fully cover the child's necessary living expenses, you can also apply for social benefits or social assistance, child supplement, and housing benefit. If you have any questions, please contact the Department for Children, Young People and Families of the City of Osnabrück.
Further Information
Family-Friendly Campus
The canteens and cafeterias of the responsible Studierendenwerk offer changing tables, child-friendly chairs and a play corner for children as well as a protected area for breastfeeding for the children of students, staff and other visitors.
There are family rooms in both the "Alte Münze" library on the city center campus and in the departmental library on the Westerberg campus. In addition to a workstation and a breastfeeding corner, these also offer an area with toys and picture books for your child. Baby changing facilities are also available in the buildings.
The family service recommends booking a family room in advance. Please contact the relevant library service desk.
Care Options
General
Registration for daycare centers in Osnabrück is mainly done digitally via the online portal for Osnabrück daycare centers. The registration period for the following daycare year, which always begins in August, starts in November and ends in December (e.g. the registration period for the 2023/2024 daycare year was between 01.11.2022-31.12.2022). Places are only allocated after the application deadline and can take until April. The date of receipt of the application has no influence on the allocation of places.
Childminders: Childminders (Kindertagespflege) is an alternative care option to nursery. It includes upbringing, education and care in smaller groups. There is also flexibility when it comes to coordinating care times. In large-scale day care, the children are looked after by several caregivers in larger groups. The costs are similar to those of the day nursery. Registration should be made approx. six months before the desired start date at the relevant child and family service office.
The child and family service office of the city of Osnabrück or the family service offices of the home municipality in the district of Osnabrück are available to answer your questions and provide further information on the subject of childcare in an advisory, supportive and mediating capacity.
For Members of UOS
The following daycare centers take university and college affiliation into account when admitting children.
Important: this is no guarantee of a childcare place!
- The CampusKita offers space for the care of 80 children in the Wüste district. 70 percent of the places are allocated to members of the university; the remaining 30 percent are filled freely.
- The Kinderbungalow is a large daycare center run by Osnabrück University on Campus Westerberg (Building 39), where up to 8 children aged 12 months to three years are looked after by three childminders.
- The Daycare Center "Die kleinen Strolche" of the parents' association "UNI-KITA" e. V. offers care for 38 children aged one to six years.
- The Daycare Center "Kindervilla" of the parents' association Kindervilla e. V. offers 41 childcare places for children aged three months to six years.
- Kita "Fingerhut" e. V. is a facility run by Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences with 35 places for children aged one to six.
This platform of the university's Family Service enables childcare providers and childcare seekers to come into contact with each other. This gives students and employees who have children and are looking for support the opportunity to find suitable childcare.
Registration and activation: Interested parties register for the "Childcare exchange" event in Stud.IP and apply for activation at the Family Service.
For those looking for childcare: After activation in Stud.IP, caregivers are listed by district. Personal folders with contact details and certificates can be viewed. If you are interested, you can contact the relevant person.
For care providers: After activation by e-mail to the Family Service, you will receive access to the "Childcare Exchange". A completed questionnaire from the Family Service and supporting documents are required. A personal folder will be created to which all members of the event have access. In order to keep the data up to date, we ask you to inform the Family Service of any changes as soon as possible.
Personal responsibility: The childcare exchange is intended to make it easier to make contact. Getting to know each other and the negotiation processes take place independently and on your own responsibility. The Family Service assumes no responsibility or liability.
The emergency childcare is a free service offered to working and/or studying parents who require immediate and professional childcare due to unforeseen and unplanned circumstances, childcare shortages, or the unexpected unavailability of their regular childcare arrangements. A qualified professional will come to your home to care for your child/children in their familiar environment.
This service is available to both employees and students of the university. Student parents can utilize the emergency childcare service in situations such as:
- Your child falls ill, and you have a class or seminar to attend.
- You have a weekend block seminar, and the daycare center is closed.
The emergency childcare service is an initiative of companies and institutions within the Family Alliance of the Osnabrück region and the Evangelical Family Education Center Osnabrück.
Registration
To use the emergency childcare service, you must register with the Family Service. For registration, you will need your employee ID number/matriculation number, address, and phone number. After successful registration, you will receive a registration number.
You can then contact the placement hotline (0800-5886927) Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM and Sunday from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Requests can be made no earlier than two days before the desired date, specifying the expected duration of care. Availability of a childcare professional will be confirmed promptly.
Holiday Offers for Elementary School Children
There are various holiday programs available for elementary school children, such as those offered by the Catholic Family Education Center (FABI). During the spring, summer, and fall breaks, FABI provides holiday camps with diverse programs for children aged 6 to 11. Care hours are flexible, starting between 8:00 and 9:00 AM and ending by 4:00 PM. Registration is completed through an online form. Detailed information about the programs and how to book them can be found on the Catholic Family Education Center's website.
An overview of additional offerings can be found on the City of Osnabrück's "Holiday Programs for Elementary School Children" website, as well as on the site of the "Und Tschüss" program which features vacation trips, adventure weekends, and day excursions for children, teens, and families.
Further Information and Offerings
Contact Persons
Lena Lorenz, M.A. (she/her)
Phone: +49 541 969-4686
familienservice@uos.de
Room: 52/509
Equal Opportunity Office
Neuer Graben 7/9
49074 Osnabrück
Short Bio: Lena Lorenz
Annkatrin Kalas, M.A. (she/her)
Phone: +49 541 969-4686
familienservice@uos.de
Room: 52/505
Equal Opportunity Office
Neuer Graben 7/9
49074 Osnabrück