By judgement of 19 February 2013 (docket no.: 9 AZR 461/11), the
Federal Labour Court confirmed that an employee can demand the
reduction of his/her working hours twice during parental leave.
This also applies if the employer and employee reached an agreement
at the beginning of the parental leave on the scope of the working
hours but subsequently extend the parental leave. The agreement
does not count as one exercise of the double right to reduce
working hours.
During parental leave, employees can work part-time of up to 30
hours per week. In this connection, the employer and employee
should amicably agree on the scope and distribution of the working
hours. Should they be unable to reach agreement, the employee can
demand a total of two times during the entire period of the
parental leave a reduction of the working hours existing prior to
the parental leave (Sec. 15 paras. 6 and 7 German Federal Act on
Parental Benefit and Parental Leave [Bundeselterngeld-
