In principle, the same employment conditions apply after parental leave as before—this means you return to the same working hours as before.
However, to successfully manage childcare, many parents rely on flexible working hours or the option to reduce their working time.
Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences, as a public employer, actively promotes good working conditions. A key element of this is flexible working time arrangements. As long as it does not conflict with the university’s service-oriented mission, employees are granted extensive flexibility in their daily working hours through a working time agreement.
Under the Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act, you can submit a request for part-time work. This requires that the application, including the desired distribution of working hours, be submitted no later than three months before the start date. If there are no compelling operational reasons against it, the request for reduced working hours will be accommodated.
Part-time employment is limited to a maximum of 5 years, with the possibility of extension. For civil servants, the total period of reduced working hours is capped at 15 years.
To better balance family and career, mobile working is also an option. Up to 40% of working hours can be performed at a location outside the university, provided it aligns with operational requirements. An application must be submitted to the university administration, specifying tasks that can be completed off-site.
For employees working less than 50% full-time equivalent, deviations may apply under a special permit pursuant to §5(4). However, full flexibility of the work location is not allowed. Please refer to the service agreement on performing tasks outside the university, along with the accompanying framework agreement.