If you care for a relative in need of care, you often need time away from work. The German Care Leave Act (Pflegezeitgesetz) gives employees claims in two stages: a short release during an acute care situation and a longer period of care leave. This guide explains what the law regulates, which deadlines apply and what you should do now.
Short answer: Under the German Care Leave Act, employees may be absent from work for up to ten working days if this is necessary to organise care in an acute care situation. Care leave allows a full or partial release for up to six months per relative in need of care. The employer must be notified at the latest ten working days before the start, in text form. Last updated: November 2026.
The key points in brief
- Short-term absence for an acute care situation covers up to ten working days.
- The claim to care leave does not apply against employers with generally 15 or fewer employees.
- The maximum duration is six months per relative in need of care. Combined with family care leave, up to 24 months are possible.
- Notice must be given at the latest ten working days before the start, in text form, stating period and extent.
- If home care ends, care leave ends four weeks after the changed circumstances occur.
What does short-term absence cover?
Under section 2 of the Care Leave Act, employees may stay away from work for up to ten working days if this is necessary to organise or secure care for a close relative in an acute care situation. The rule concerns the moment when help suddenly becomes necessary, for example after a fall or discharge from hospital.
The release is a short break, not a lasting solution. If care is needed for longer, care leave comes into consideration. Both claims can be used one after the other, provided the requirements of each are met.
When is there a claim to care leave?
Under section 3 of the Act, employees are to be released fully or partly if they care for a close relative in need of care in the home environment. The claim does not apply against employers with generally 15 or fewer employees. If you work in a small company, first clarify the number of employees.
Care leave must be announced to the employer at the latest ten working days before it starts, in text form, stating period and extent. For partial release, employer and employee conclude a written agreement under section 3 subsection 4. The employer must meet the wishes of the employee unless urgent operational reasons stand in the way.
How long does care leave last?
Under section 4, care leave is limited to a maximum of six months per relative in need of care. A shorter period can be extended to the maximum with the employer consent. Combined with family care leave, up to 24 months are possible.
| Rule | Maximum duration | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term absence (section 2) | up to ten working days | Acute care situation, organisation of care |
| Care leave (sections 3 and 4) | up to six months per relative | Notice at the latest ten working days before start, in text form |
| Care leave combined with family care leave (section 4) | up to 24 months in total | Observe the requirements of both rules |
If home care ends, care leave ends four weeks after the changed circumstances occur. A sudden end of care therefore does not end the claim immediately.
Do I receive money during care leave?
The Care Leave Act does not provide for remuneration during care leave itself. Whether a wage replacement benefit is available for a short release, for example through the care support allowance (Pflegeunterstützungsgeld), depends on the individual case. The care insurance fund or the employer can say which benefits currently apply.
Do not estimate the amount, but ask for it in writing. Also ask whether social insurance contributions continue during the release, because pension entitlements and insurance cover depend on this.
How do you register the leave correctly?
- Speak to your employer first so that the business can plan, and record the agreement in writing.
- Announce care leave at least ten working days in advance in text form, stating period and extent.
- For partial release, settle the future working hours in a written agreement.
- Ask the care insurance fund about care benefits and a possible wage replacement.
Frequently asked questions
Does care leave also apply to relatives who live far away?
The Act refers to care in the home environment. Whether a situation with a large distance falls under it should be discussed concretely with the employer before you announce the release.
Is the claim tied to a care level?
The Act refers to a close relative in need of care. The care insurance fund determines whether a need for care exists. Our guide on applying for a care level (in German) explains how the classification works.
Does care leave also apply to new employees?
The claim follows the employment, not the length of professional experience. What matters is that you work in a company with more than 15 employees and that the requirements of the Act are met. A probation period or a short length of service does not change that once the requirements are fulfilled.
Do I have to give reasons for care leave?
Under the Act, the notice must state the period and the extent. You can outline the care situation to make planning in the business easier, but it is not the legal core of the notice.
Can the employer refuse care leave?
For a full release, the employer must allow care leave if the requirements are met and the notice is given in time. For partial release, a written agreement is needed, and the employer must meet the wishes of the employee unless urgent operational reasons stand in the way.
How does care leave relate to care benefits?
Care leave governs the release from work and does not give you a claim to benefits from the care insurance fund. Those benefits follow the Social Code Book XI and the classification in a care level. If you plan release and care benefits together, consider both at the same time, for example with regard to care allowance or a care service.
How does the release affect contributions and pensions?
Whether social insurance contributions continue during the release depends on the individual situation and the rules in force. Ask therefore before the start whether, and at what level, pension and health insurance contributions are payable. Our guide on pension contributions for relatives providing care (in German) covers this area in more detail.
Which documents should you keep?
Keep the notice in text form, any written agreement for partial release and the correspondence with your employer. This also includes evidence of the care situation, such as medical records or notices from the care insurance fund. Collecting these documents early makes questions about periods and claims easier to resolve later.
What to do now
- Applying for a care level: procedure, deadlines and assessment
- Care service or care allowance: what relatives should choose
- Care support allowance and family care allowance: planned for 2027
- Pension contributions for relatives providing care: what applies in 2027 (in German)
- Care reform 2027: what is settled and what is still in progress
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
