Family Care Leave Act: Your rights and options as a family caregiver in Germany

Sometimes everyday life changes from one day to the next – for example, when a loved one suddenly needs care. Then you may be facing the big question: How am I supposed to manage all of this – work, provide care, and still somehow keep functioning? This is exactly where the Family Care Leave Act comes in. It gives you the option to reduce your working hours, take leave, and even receive financial support – without immediately risking your job.

 

 

Caring for a relative brings not only organizational but also emotional challenges. That is exactly why it is important to know your rights and not feel left alone. We explain the most important points in clear, easy-to-understand language, with real-life examples, comparison tables, and helpful tips for your everyday life. This way, you have the confidence to make the right decisions – and can focus fully on what matters now: your family.

 

 

 

 

When a loved one suddenly needs care, everyday life changes completely – emotionally and organizationally. You face the challenge of balancing work, family, and caregiving. The Family Care Leave Act in Germany supports you with this: you can reduce your working hours, get protection for your job, and even have the option to receive financial support through an interest-free loan.

 

Definition & overview

The Family Care Leave Act (FPfZG) helps you reconcile work and caregiving more effectively in order to care for a close relative in need of care in a home environment.

The law was created so that you can remain employed despite caregiving responsibilities. It protects you from being “ground down” between your job and family care. You get more planning security, time, and legal certainty during the caregiving phase.

The care allowance is not credited against a loan or a reduced salary, because it belongs personally to the person in need of care. This rule removes a major financial worry and provides the certainty that the support arrives where it belongs.

Legal basis (§§ 1–2 FPfZG)

• §1 FPfZG stipulates that you may reduce your working hours to care for a close relative for a maximum of 24 months to up to 15 hours per week,
• It describes that the care must take place in a home environment and that it must involve a relative in need of care.

Put simply, this means: If you provide care at home, you are allowed to reduce your working hours for a certain period – and your employer must engage with it.

Difference from the Care Leave Act (PfZG)

While the Care Leave Act allows you to take full leave from work for up to 6 months, with the Family Care Leave Act you can continue working – but with reduced hours. The short-term leave of up to 10 days applies to organizing the first care measures.

Anyone who has used the Care Leave Act (PfZG, up to 6 months) as full leave can only use family care leave (FPfZG, up to 24 months) on a pro-rata basis until the total duration of 24 months is reached.

 

Table: Care Leave Act vs. Family Care Leave Act vs. Short-term leave

 

If you want to take on the care of a close relative, the Family Care Leave Act gives you the opportunity to reconcile work and caregiving – but only if certain requirements are met. These rules ensure that you are protected and do not have to give up your job while you take care of your loved ones.

 

Who counts as “close relatives”?

A close relative is anyone who is particularly close to you and whom you care for or support. This includes, among others:

• Parents and parents-in-law
• Children and grandchildren
• Spouse or partner
• Siblings
• Other people who are like family to you

You can see: It is not only about blood relations, but about people who play a central role in your life.

Table: Requirements for family care leave

 

Employer size (25+ employees)

To be able to claim family care leave, your employer must have at least 25 employees (excluding apprentices). This rule ensures that smaller companies are not overwhelmed, while you still have an entitlement to your rights.

Minimum working hours (15 hours/week)

To be able to use family care leave, you normally have to work at least 15 hours per week. The law allows you to reduce your working hours without your job being at risk – so you can remain employed while also being there for your relatives.

Combination with the Care Leave Act (max. 24 months total)

You can combine family care leave and the Care Leave Act. Overall, however, the care leave period must not exceed 24 months. This gives you the flexibility to reduce hours initially and later, if necessary, be fully released from work for a longer period.

 

If you decide to use family care leave, your everyday life will change – you have to balance work, family, and caregiving. The law gives you clear framework conditions so that you have planning certainty and can support your loved ones as well as possible at the same time.

 

 

Maximum duration (24 months)

The family care leave can be claimed for a maximum of 24 months. This means: You have up to two years to adjust your working hours and take care of your relatives without having to give up your job. This time is intended to help you take on responsibility in the long term without being ground down between caregiving and work.

Working-hours reduction & structure

You can reduce your working hours flexibly – the law stipulates that you must work at least 15 hours per week. This leaves you enough time for caregiving while you remain active in your job.

Examples of how to structure it:

• Reduce from 40 hours to 20 hours per week
• Reduce from 30 hours to 15 hours per week

You can see: You decide how you reconcile work and caregiving, tailored to your personal situation and the needs of your relatives.

What happens if care ends earlier?

Sometimes the situation changes faster than expected – for example, if the need for care decreases or the relative’s health situation improves. In this case, you can end family care leave early, but you must inform your employer at least 4 weeks in advance. This keeps everything transparent and predictable – for you and your job

 

 

When Maria’s father became in need of care after a stroke, her world stood still. Just a week earlier he had been laughing in the garden with her son – now he could hardly speak and needed help getting up, eating, and washing. Maria felt torn: on the one hand her family, her love for her father. On the other hand the pressure at the office, the team that depended on her, the fear of losing her job.

After sleepless nights and endless conversations with her partner, Maria looked for solutions. In the process, she came across the Family Care Leave Act. For the first time she felt: I have rights. I am not alone.

She spoke with her employer, applied for family care leave, and reduced her working hours – without having to fear dismissal. The interest-free loan helped her partially cushion the financial loss. But she quickly realized: even with fewer working hours, sometimes the strength just isn’t enough.

Through a recommendation, she finally discovered noracares, where she could book hourly support – someone who helped her father with meals or went for a walk with him when she was at the office or needed to catch her breath for a moment. For the first time in weeks, she felt a sense of control. Not everything was perfect – but she had found a way to make both possible: being there for her father and at the same time not having to give up everything professionally.

The Family Care Leave Act does protect your job, but it does not solve the problem of caregiving time. If reduced working hours are therefore not enough, hourly, flexible support from noracares is essential to prevent overload.

Flexible support during family care leave with noracares

If you are caring for a relative like Maria, every day can bring new challenges. Sometimes the regular caregiver is unavailable, there are unexpected appointments, or the amount of care suddenly increases. This is exactly where the advantage of noracares becomes clear:

Flexible support as needed

You reduce your working hours, but the caregiving workload stays the same. With noracares you get exactly the support you currently need. Hourly or flexible help from noracares closes the gap for the time you urgently need for sleep, doctor’s appointments, or recovery.

Short-notice help in emergencies

Unexpected situations are not a problem: If the regular caregiver is unavailable or an emergency occurs, you can book helpers spontaneously and at short notice via noracares. This way you are covered, even if your daily routine suddenly becomes unpredictable.

Especially in such a sensitive and vulnerable situation, trust is crucial – noracares ensures that you can use support with peace of mind, without compromising on quality.

How noracares supports you during family care leave

When you reduce your working hours to care for a relative, you often still feel like you can’t manage everything on your own. This is exactly where noracares comes in – flexible, hourly, and exactly when you need relief.

Here are specific examples of how noracares supports you:

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciling caregiving work and family

When Jonas learns that his mother becomes in need of care after a fall, his everyday life tips over from one day to the next. Until yesterday, appointments, meetings, and children’s birthday parties structured his calendar. Today, suddenly completely different questions count: Who helps his mother get up? Can he leave her alone while he is at the office? How does he explain to his employer that he can no longer be available as before – without jeopardizing his professional future?

With each day, the emotional burden grows. Jonas feels torn back and forth: between responsibility as a son, father, employee – and his growing exhaustion. He wonders: Do I have to give up my job to be there for her?

In his desperation, he comes across the Family Care Leave Act. For the first time, he no longer feels completely at the mercy of the situation. He learns that he can reduce his working hours without losing his job. An interest-free loan can cushion the loss of earnings. It is not the solution to all problems – but a protected space that gives him room to breathe.

But Jonas soon realizes: even with reduced working hours, sometimes his strength is not enough. There are days when his mother needs additional support. Moments when he is tied up at work or simply needs an afternoon to be there for himself instead of functioning permanently.

This is where noracares comes into play. Via the platform, Jonas finds hourly support – reliable helpers who accompany his mother, eat with her, or take her to appointments. He can book flexibly – for certain days, individual hours, or even at short notice if his regular caregiver is unavailable.

Suddenly, he is no longer alone with this responsibility. He can work without constantly feeling like he has to keep an eye on his phone. He has time again to laugh carefree with his children in the evening – without being crushed by feelings of guilt. And he can meet his mother with patience and love instead of just functioning.

 

 

You want to make use of family care leave, but you’re not exactly sure how the application works? Don’t worry – we’ll guide you step by step. This way you can legally combine work and caregiving with confidence, without having to fight through bureaucratic hurdles on your own.

Deadlines & dates

To ensure everything runs smoothly, you need to keep an eye on a few dates:

• 8 weeks in advance: Your written application must be submitted to your employer no later than 8 weeks before the start.
• 3 months in advance: If you want to switch from care leave to family care leave, a deadline of 3 months applies.

These deadlines for the Family Care Leave Act ensure that your employer can plan – and that you don’t experience any unpleasant surprises.

Written application to the employer

Employees must notify their employer in writing of the family care leave at the latest eight weeks before it begins and set the duration and the extent of the reduction in working hours. The following details must be included:

• Start of family care leave
• Planned duration
• Planned weekly working hours

 

 

Table: Step by step: Application for family care leave

 

Proof & documents

For your application to be recognized, you need certain documents:

• Need for care: e.g. MDK assessment or a decision from the long-term care insurance fund
• Your own working hours: current agreements to document your planned reduction

These documents ensure that your application is legally sound and that you can assert all entitlements.

Approval & agreement with the employer

Your employer must approve the application. A written agreement is often made in which all details on the reduction in working hours, duration, and return to a full-time job are recorded. This gives both of you clarity and security.

Application for an interest-free loan (BAFzA)

Employees can, for the period in which they fully or partially step out of work to provide care, take out an application for an interest-free loan with the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA). It is paid out in monthly installments and is intended to help cushion the resulting loss of earnings. The interest-free loan must also be repaid in installments after the end of the respective leave.

If you use a BAFzA loan, remember: Repayment is an important factor for your financial planning, especially if you later return to a full-time job. Plan early how you will manage the repayments so that you are not unexpectedly burdened after the caregiving period. This way you keep control of your finances and can structure your time off without worry.

To calculate the amount of the loan, the Family Care Leave Calculator

 

Family care leave helps you balance work and caregiving better. But it is only one part of the safety net that supports family caregivers. Often you need additional help, advice, or exchange with others – especially during emotionally stressful phases.

 

 

1. Advice centers and care counseling

• Care support centers: Offer personal advice on care benefits, relief services, and financial support.
• Social services of the health insurance funds: Social welfare associations help with applications, care grades, or organizing care.
• Care counseling hotlines: Quickly reachable when questions come up urgently. At these points you get information about various nationwide care counseling telephone services, without having to figure everything out on your own.

2. Self-help groups and exchange with other relatives

Anyone who invests a lot of time and energy in caregiving runs the risk of neglecting their own needs. Local self-help groups or online forums play a crucial role in giving family caregivers space for exchange and support.

3. Short-term care and respite care

Maria cares for her mother – but who takes care of Sabine? This is exactly where support services come in: They are specifically designed to relieve family caregivers. This allows Sabine to take breaks, recharge, and be sure that her loved ones continue to be well cared for. These services ensure that caregiving is not only a duty, but also manageable and sustainable.

If you are prevented at short notice – e.g., due to illness, appointments, or vacation – professional caregivers from noracares take over care for a limited period of time. This way you can recover briefly without your relative being left alone.

4. Volunteer and hourly support

Platforms like noracares connect you with care staff who provide hourly relief in everyday life, e.g., on walks, with meals, or small household tasks. You can book flexibly, depending on what is needed at the moment – hourly, by the day, or in emergencies.

5. Psychosocial support

Conversations with psychologists or coaches for family caregivers help reduce stress, overwhelm, and emotional strain. This helps you remain stable yourself and be there for your relative.

Caregiving is a big responsibility – but you don’t have to carry it alone. Combine legal options like family care leave with counseling, self-help groups, and flexible support to gain relief, guidance, and security.

 

Maria’s story shows that care affects not only the everyday life of the caregiver, but also that of a relative and their family. To avoid stress, misunderstandings, and overwhelm, good communication is crucial. With family care leave, you can actively create structures, distribute tasks, and organize relief.

 

1. Have open conversations

Talk early with all family members about the situation and the need for care. Discuss who can take on which tasks and how much time each person can realistically invest. Clear agreements prevent conflicts and overburdening individual people.

2. Clearly allocate tasks

Create a list of all care tasks: personal hygiene, doctor’s appointments, shopping, household chores, accompanying to activities. Distribute tasks according to skills, time resources, and strengths of the individual family members. Even small contributions help: Who can shop, who can organize day-to-day life, who can take over care by the hour?

3. Actively plan the use of family care leave

Reduce your working hours in a targeted way to take on specific caregiving tasks. Plan the remaining hours so that other family members cover tasks or external help is brought in. This creates a joint care plan that relieves everyone.

4. Involve external support

Use platforms like noracares to get hourly support from qualified care staff. Professional support for individual tasks (e.g., accompanying to the doctor, walks, or household tasks) can also relieve the family.

5. Regular coordination and flexibility

Meet weekly or every two weeks to review tasks, discuss new needs, and adjust plans. Care changes – and the plan should evolve flexibly along with it.

6. Don’t forget emotional support

Also talk about feelings, worries, and stresses. Shared breaks or small time-outs help prevent overload.

 

If you reduce your working hours, you’re probably asking yourself: How am I supposed to cover my living expenses now? Don’t worry – the Family Care Leave Act gives you security and supports you financially so you can focus on caregiving without fearing for your livelihood.

 

 

Who pays my salary?

During family care leave, you continue to receive part-time pay from your employer. Your salary is therefore paid proportionally, depending on how many hours you work.

To balance your income, you can also apply for an interest-free loan from the BAFzA. This partially compensates for your loss of earnings – you don’t have to worry alone about the financial gap.

The loan from the Federal Office of Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA) replaces up to 50% of your loss of income during the care period.

Example calculations: Income during family care leave

"Source: BAFzA / calculation basis according to FPfZG."

So you can see at a glance: The combination of part-time pay and the loan ensures that you can manage caregiving without falling into financial hardship.

Effects on social insurance & pension

Don’t worry: Even during family care leave you remain covered by social insurance. Your health, long-term care, and pension insurance coverage remains in place.

• The contributions are calculated proportionally based on your reduced income.
• The time spent on family care leave counts toward your pension, as half of the income via the BAFzA loan is also credited as the assessment basis.

 

If you decide on family care leave like Maria, it’s not only a major responsibility for your relatives – it is also a step that is legally protected. The law protects you, gives you security, and at the same time regulates which obligations you have toward your employer. This way you can focus fully on caregiving without having to worry about your job.

 

Protection against dismissal

The notice period is 8 weeks. However, protection against dismissal applies as early as up to 12 weeks before the planned start. It therefore begins with the notification of the intended use – but no later than 12 weeks before the start of family care leave. You can plan with peace of mind and know that your job will remain secure while you are there for your relatives

Right to return to original working hours

After family care leave ends, you have the right to return to your original working hours. That means you can be sure that your job and your previous working hours will be preserved – and that you won’t be disadvantaged because you worked less for a while.

Obligations toward the employer

To ensure everything runs smoothly, there are also a few obligations for you:

• Notification obligation: You must inform your employer in good time that you want to take family care leave.
• Proof of need for care: You must provide evidence that the relative is in need of care – e.g., with an MDK assessment report or a care fund decision.

These obligations ensure that the agreement is clear and fair for you and your employer – so there are no misunderstandings and everything remains transparent.

Table

 

 

Sometimes caring for a relative is not “standard” – perhaps you are a civil servant, work in a small company, or care for an underage family member. Changes over the course of care are also possible. In these cases, special rules apply so that you remain protected and can organize care responsibly.

 

 

Civil servants & public service

If you work in the public service or as a civil servant, special rules apply for family care leave. In most cases, the reduction in working hours is agreed individually, and there are often additional support options. Speak with your HR office early so everything is arranged correctly and in a legally secure way.

Employers with fewer than 25 employees

If your employer has fewer than 25 employees, you are not entitled to classic family care leave under the law. That doesn’t mean you are on your own – many employers are accommodating and can offer individual solutions such as flexible working hours or unpaid leave. An open conversation is worthwhile here.

Caring for underage relatives

If you care for an underage child or teenager, the rules are generally similar – even outside your own home. What matters is that the caregiving effort can be proven and that you inform your employer about the situation.

Several caregivers in one family

In families where several people provide care, you can divide the care leave among yourselves. The law allows several relatives to share the care leave, as long as the total period does not exceed the legally permitted 24 months. This distributes the burden fairly.

Changes during the care period

Sometimes the need for care changes faster than you planned. The law allows extensions or shortening of family care leave. Important: Coordinate with your employer early and record it in writing. This keeps everything transparent and allows you to respond flexibly to new situations.

Table: exceptional cases & special features

 

 

 

 

 

The Family Care Leave Act offers you a real opportunity to better combine work and caregiving. With clear rules on entitlement, duration, application, and financing, it protects you from dismissal and relieves you financially through the interest-free loan from the BAFzA.

With us, there is no agency, standing between you. You can connect directly and transparently with verified, qualified helpers. This way, you see all conditions openly, negotiate fairly, and decide yourself how the care is organized – simple, safe, and reliable.

Balancing care and work does not have to be an unsolvable task. With the Family Care Leave Act, you have clear rights and support – and noracares also supports you along the way with:

• Hourly support: You can find targeted help with us when you need it most.
• Flexible deployment: Whether during the day, in the evening, or on weekends – the support adapts to your daily routine.
• Relief in everyday life: Errands, household tasks, or care assistance – leaving you more time for your loved ones.
• Safety & quality: All our caregivers are vetted, reliable, and experienced in caring for people in need of care.
• Easy placement: Quickly and easily find the right support via noracares.at.

We know: Caring for a loved one is both emotionally and organizationally a major challenge. That is why it is so important that you know your rights and understand how to get support. Check your eligibility now, prepare your application, and make use of the support you are entitled to – so you can focus on what truly matters: your family.

You now know your care level and the benefits? Use noracares now to directly find the right hourly support and flexible care that closes your care gap!

 

 

• BAFzA (Federal Office for Family and Civil Society Tasks): The federal authority where you apply for the interest-free loan to cushion your loss of earnings during the care leave period.
• Loan (interest-free): Financial support from the state. You receive monthly installments to top up your reduced salary. After the care phase ends, you repay this amount in installments.
• Delegation: The transfer of certain tasks. In the context of noracares, it means that you hand over tasks of everyday support or care assistance to qualified helpers in order to relieve yourself.
• Home environment: The place where care must take place in order for you to be entitled to family care leave. This can be the home of the person in need of care or your own.
• Protection against dismissal: A special protection of your employment. It begins as soon as you announce family care leave (at the earliest 12 weeks before it starts) and lasts until the end of the leave.
• MDK (Medical Service of Health Insurance): The body that assesses, on behalf of the care insurance fund, how high the need for care is and which care level is assigned.
• Close relatives: A legally defined group of persons. This includes spouses, registered partners, parents, parents-in-law, siblings, children, grandchildren, as well as children-in-law and step-parents.
• Care level (min. 1): The prerequisite for the legal entitlement to family care leave. The relative must be officially classified as in need of care.
• Care support allowance: A wage replacement benefit for short-term absence from work (up to 10 days) if you suddenly need to organize a care situation.
• PPR 2.0: An instrument for staffing measurement in professional care. For you as a relative, it is a signal that better time structures are also being worked on in the professional sector, just as the Family Care Leave Act enables you to structure time in your private life.
• Substitute care: If you as the main caregiver are unavailable due to vacation or illness, the care insurance fund covers the costs of replacement care (e.g., through noracares staff).