Further extension of the entitlement to children’s sickness benefits for parents through another amendment to § 45 SGB V (German Social Code V)

At the end of January 2021, we reported that the legislature had retroactively expanded parents’ eligibility for children’s sickness benefits effective January 5, 2021.

The amendment of January 18, 2021 had extended the period of entitlement to up to 20 working days (instead of 10) per parent for each child and up to 40 working days (instead of 20) for single parents, for a limited period until December 31, 2021. However, this extended entitlement was supposed to be for no more than 45 working days in total, and for no more than 90 working days for single parents.

Due to the ongoing pandemic and the associated continued closure of schools and childcare facilities, a bill was introduced in the Bundestag (German Federal Parliament) by the CDU/CSU and SPD parliamentary groups that provides for a further extension of the entitlement to child sickness benefits for parents.

According to this, each parent will then be entitled to children’s sickness benefit for up to 30 working days per child and up to 60 working days for single parents in accordance with § 45 (2a) SGB V (German Social Code V). However, the entitlement is to be for a total of no more than 65 working days, and for single parents for no more than 130 working days.

The aforementioned changes are to take effect retroactively from January 18, 2021.

In all other respects, the requirements set out in the amendment of January 18, 2021 remain in force. In particular, it remains irrelevant for the claim whether the work could also be performed in the home office by the parent.