German maternity protection, parental leave and allowance
For six weeks before the birth the woman decides on her protection period herself; for eight weeks afterwards she no longer can — and a dismissal already fails if the pregnancy is notified within two weeks after it arrives. The first module sorts out the periods, the employment bans and the three payments: maternity benefit of up to 13 euros a day, the employer top-up and maternity protection pay. The second separates parental leave, a release from work with seven weeks' lead time, from parental allowance at 67 per cent between 300 and 1,800 euros, and ends with part-time work and care leave.
Foundational2 modules48 minModule 1 free to read
2026 rules — verified on September 23, 2026
Figures are tied to dated, sourced tax constants. A module whose rules have changed is flagged for review, and is unpublished automatically beyond 90 days.
By the end of this course, you can…
These outcomes are the modules' own: the promise cannot say anything the course does not teach.
- determine the two protection periods and the cases that extend them
- tell workplace restrictions apart from a doctor's employment prohibition
- apply the dismissal ban and its two-week window for notifying the employer
- assign maternity benefit, the employer top-up and maternity protection pay to the right payer
- determine the entitlement and maximum length of parental leave, including the transferable share
- apply the notice periods for parental leave and its text-form requirement
- place part-time work during parental leave and the special dismissal protection
- distinguish basic parental allowance from ElterngeldPlus by amount and duration
- recognise how maternity benefits are offset against parental allowance
The programme, module by module
Each module has its own page. Durations are derived from the actual text, never announced by hand.
- Module 123 minFree — no accountMaternity protection: periods, prohibitions and the money in betweenWhat you will be able to do
- determine the two protection periods and the cases that extend them
- tell workplace restrictions apart from a doctor's employment prohibition
- apply the dismissal ban and its two-week window for notifying the employer
- assign maternity benefit, the employer top-up and maternity protection pay to the right payer
- Module 226 minIncluded in the full courseParental leave and parental allowance: one release from work, one cash benefitWhat you will be able to do
- determine the entitlement and maximum length of parental leave, including the transferable share
- apply the notice periods for parental leave and its text-form requirement
- place part-time work during parental leave and the special dismissal protection
- distinguish basic parental allowance from ElterngeldPlus by amount and duration
- recognise how maternity benefits are offset against parental allowance
What you take away
A handout you keep, not just a page you read. The sections are derived from the course itself: what is announced here is exactly what gets generated.
Participant handout (PDF)
PDF
- Learning objectives (2)
- Key figures (13)
- Mistakes to avoid (2)
- Official sources (2)
Exercise workbook (Word)
Word
- Learning objectives (2)
- Key figures (13)
- Mistakes to avoid (2)
- Official sources (2)
Answers live in a separate appendix: the participant handout and the workbook stay distributable before the exercise.
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Where this course leads
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Educational content, current with the sources cited. It does not replace advice tailored to your situation. These courses are neither certifying nor CPF-eligible: they prepare for no certification registered with the French RNCP or specific register.