Two children at once – double the joy! But is there also double parental allowance and double parental leave with twins? Here you can read what you are entitled to as a parent of twins.
Parental leave is granted per child
Parental leave is generally granted per child. Whether the children are born as twins or a few years apart: Per child can parents up to three years of parental leave take – the entitlement can therefore theoretically extend in the case of twins beyond six years be stretched.
Prerequisite is that each child at least twelve months within the first three years of life must be taken. This means: At least 24 months of parental leave must be taken by the twins’ third birthday.
As with all other children, the following also applies each parent can claim parental leave. Father and mother can therefore divide the parental leave entitlement of a total of six years between them in the case of twins. Single parents can take a break in their job for the whole six years if they want to.
Parental leave entitlement ends on the eighth birthday at the latest
If at least 24 months of parental leave have been taken by the twins’ third birthday, the remaining 24 months per child – i.e. a total of 48 months for twins – can be taken until the eighth birthday of the children without the employer having to agree to this. Parents can return to work first and take parental leave again later if they still have a remaining entitlement to parental leave.
But attentionThe parental leave entitlement up to the eighth birthday applies only to the children automatically, the from the 1. July 2015 born were.
Your twins are before 1. July 2015 born, but you have not yet completely exhausted the parental leave entitlement? Even then, the law allows you to take up to twelve months of parental leave per child before the child’s eighth birthday – though your employers agree. If he rejects the application, you can usually do nothing about it in this case.
Parental allowance for twins: Not double, but with multiple supplement
The double entitlement to parental leave is one thing: In Parental benefit however, the law provides no doubling before when twins are born. Here the legal situation as of 1. January 2015 concretized.
According to § 2a of the German Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetz, BEEG), the following applies: In the case of twins, only Entitlement to the single parental allowance rate plus 300 euros multiple child supplement per month (with parental allowance plus: 150 euros per month). This is intended to cover additional expenses, such as baby food, diapers, etc., that may arise. accrue in the case of two children.
Double parental allowance for twins: ruled out by law since 2015
The Federal Social Court (BSG) in Kassel had indeed 2013 The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has ruled in favor of a couple who wanted to take the double the parental allowance had claimed (AZ B 10 EG 3/12 R and B 10 EG 8/12 R). The judges said that the entitlement to parental allowance for parents of twins was unclearly formulated, among other reasons.
However, this decision only benefited parents whose twins or multiples had been until the 31. December 2014 born were. According to the ruling of the BSG, you could also claim additional benefits within a certain period of time.
With the amendment of the BEEG and the introduction of Elterngeld Plus to the 1. January 2015 future claims to double parental allowance for twins expressly excluded. Legislators believe: parental allowance primarily compensates for lost pay when a parent temporarily stays home. It is irrelevant whether one or more children are born. The Multiple child supplement of 300 euros per additional child is retained.
Parenting time with twins: Parental allowance plus with additional service can be worthwhile
With the Basic parental allowance, that, together with the 300 euro multiple supplement, is only paid for maximum 14 months parents of twins quickly discover that there is still a lot of parental leave (entitlement) left at the end of the parental allowance. If a partner then continues to take a break in his job and takes care of the children, his income subsequently falls away without financial compensation. Many families cannot afford this in the long term.
Especially with the double parental leave entitlement for twins, it can therefore be worthwhile from the outset to use the Parental benefit plus To be taken. You can thus stretch the payment over twice the period if a longer parental leave is planned. Although the amount paid out per month is then halved – but whoever has the opportunity to receive during the parental leave to work part time, can often increase the parental allowance plus without major deductions.