Many students and young professionals volunteer alongside their job or studies, for example as a youth group leader, a coach or in a club. Once an assignment, a training course or a weekend camp falls into working hours, the question arises whether your employer has to release you. The answer depends on the kind of volunteer work you do and on the state law that applies in Germany (Landesrecht).
Short answer: The rules do not grant a general right to time off for every kind of volunteering. According to an overview dated March 2023, all 16 German federal states have a dedicated release rule for youth work, usually for 10 to 12 days a year and usually unpaid. Check the current version of the state law (in German).
The most important points
- According to the overview (March 2023), youth work (Jugendarbeit) is covered by a release rule in all 16 German states.
- The number of days per year in the overview ranges from 5 to 12.
- Most rules are unpaid. Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania pay wholly or partly.
- The request usually goes through the sponsoring organisation, and the notice period for your employer ranges from two to eight weeks, depending on the state.
- Outside youth work, the employment contract, a collective agreement or a works agreement decides.
Is there a general right to time off for volunteers?
No, at least not one that applies equally to every volunteer. A right usually comes from a state law, a collective agreement (Tarifvertrag) or a works agreement (Betriebsvereinbarung). If none of these exists, the employment contract is decisive. It often states whether special leave is granted or whether volunteer hours may be booked against working-time accounts.
Without a legal basis, the employer may refuse a release. That does not make a conversation pointless. Many employers release staff for assignments when the schedule is announced early and the work is covered. For short-notice deployments, a clear agreement before the assignment starts is worth the effort.
Which federal states regulate release for youth work?
The table shows seven states from the overview published by the Fachstelle Jugendreisen at the German Federal Youth Council (Deutscher Bundesjugendring). The status is March 2023. The binding text is always the state law itself, which may have changed since the survey. The names and figures are taken from the overview and were not checked against the state law.
| State | Rule as named in the overview | Days per year | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | Act to strengthen volunteering in youth work | 10 | unpaid |
| Bavaria | Act on releasing employees for youth work | 12 | unpaid |
| Hesse | Hessian Act on the right to educational leave | 12 | paid, social contributions excluded |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | Child and youth promotion act with state ordinance | 5 | paid, reimbursed by the state youth office |
| Lower Saxony | Act on release for youth welfare and youth sport | 12 | unpaid |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | Special leave act | 8 | wholly or partly paid |
| Saxony-Anhalt | Act on release for volunteers in youth work | 12 | unpaid, flat allowance of 18 euros per day |
Two conditions in the overview matter for pay. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, reimbursement requires an employment relationship of at least six months. North Rhine-Westphalia applies the same six months, but three months are enough for employees under 21.
How do you apply for release correctly?
- Check whether your volunteer work counts as youth work and which state law applies to you. The location of the club or sponsoring body is what counts, not necessarily your own home.
- Ask the sponsoring organisation for a written confirmation, because several states require it.
- Submit the request in writing to your employer. The deadline ranges from two weeks to eight weeks, depending on the state. Saxony, for example, requires eight weeks.
- Keep the confirmation of your assignment, because the employer may ask for proof.
- Clarify in advance whether you receive wages or a reimbursement for the time off, and record the agreement in writing.
What if the employer says no?
A refusal does not have to be the end. Start by discussing alternative dates, a shift swap or unpaid leave. If the company has a works council (Betriebsrat), it can mediate. If a legal right exists and the employer still refuses, the competent state authority or the sponsoring organisation can often help. For a binding answer on your case, a trade union or a specialist lawyer for employment law (Fachanwalt für Arbeitsrecht) can advise you.
What about pay and working-time accounts?
With unpaid release, your salary for the time of the assignment is not paid. Under paid rules, such as those in Hesse, the pay continues, although social security contributions are often excluded. How an assignment is booked against a working-time account or annual leave is set by the employment contract. Get that answer confirmed in writing before you commit to dates.
What is different for the fire service and THW?
Operations of the volunteer fire service and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) follow their own rules. The fire service is governed by state fire protection laws and the THW by the THW Helper Act (THW-Helferrechtsgesetz); both have their own release rules, which you should read in the current text. Treat fire service, THW and youth work separately before you submit a request. An overview of volunteering options is available in this German guide (in German): https://academycon.de/ratgeber/ehrenamt-freiwilligendienst-ueberblick/
Frequently asked questions
Does the employer have to pay during release?
In most states in the overview, the release is unpaid. Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are the exceptions, and each has its own conditions. Whether wages continue therefore depends on the specific state law and your employment contract.
Do I have to provide proof?
In several states the employer requires a confirmation. The overview mentions Lower Saxony, where the youth group leader must supply evidence. Ask your sponsoring organisation early for the correct form, so the request does not fail over paperwork.
Can I also be released for training courses and leader courses?
That depends on the state law. Whether training and leader courses are expressly included is set out in the act itself. Read the wording before you agree to a date. The overview does not address this point, so it needs to be clarified case by case.
What if I need more days than the rule provides?
The days per year reflect the statutory framework. Any release beyond that rests on a voluntary agreement with the employer, which also applies to volunteer work outside youth work. A written agreement on special leave gives both sides clarity.
How to proceed now
- Classify your volunteer work: youth work, fire service, THW, sport or another field.
- Check the state law for your federal state and note the deadlines, the number of days and the pay rule.
- Submit the request in writing on time and obtain the sponsoring organisation’s confirmation.
- Agree on pay, leave and working-time account with your employer before the assignment begins.
Related reading
- Volunteering, voluntary service and engagement: the overview for students
- Volunteer allowance and BAföG: is it counted?
- Volunteering alongside studies: planning time without risking exams
- Volunteering on your CV: how to describe it correctly
Sources: Fachstelle Jugendreisen at the German Federal Youth Council, overview of state rules on release for volunteers (status March 2023, in German). The binding wording is found in each state law.
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
