Professional and family responsibilities

Completing a doctorate

Leipzig University awards re-entry scholarships  to researchers who wish to complete their doctorate after interrupting their academic activities for family reasons.

Habilitation preparation for female doctorate holders

Female academics with a doctorate who would like to resume their academic activities at Leipzig University following a period in a qualified professional position outside higher education can apply for a re-entry scholarship to prepare for their habilitation.

Completing a habilitation

Researchers with a doctorate who have interrupted their academic qualification at universities in the Free State of Saxony at an advanced stage for family reasons can apply for a scholarship to complete their habilitation projects.

Many researchers pursue a dual career. In order to convince these academics to take up a position at our university, we support partners in searching for jobs in the Leipzig area. Consultation is provided in the Human Resources Department.

Maternity Protection Act

The Maternity Protection Act governs the protection of mothers and also expectant mothers in the workplace. The Maternity Protection Act applies to

• all (expectant) mothers, who are in an employment relationship, also
• women on a fixed-term employment contract (for example, students), part-time employees, trainees and
• women in marginal part-time employment (mini-job).

Objective of maternity protection

Pregnancy, the birth of a child and its first months of life is a special time in a family’s life. Mother and child need special protection in the period prior to and after the birth: maternity protection. It protects the welfare of pregnant and breastfeeding women and counteracts any disadvantages that may result from the implementation of measures under maternity protection law.

Statutory maternity protection applies to prevent discrimination against expectant mothers and risks to both mother and child. Therefore, employers must comply with regulations on protection against dismissal, design of the workplace, general or individual prohibition on employment and working hours when an employee is pregnant.

Maternity protection period

The maternity protection period is six weeks before and eight weeks after the birth of a child (12 weeks in the case of premature and multiple births). It falls within the period of an existing employment relationship. Maternity leave at our university ends when the fixed-term period expires. For staff members who have a fixed-term employment contract pursuant to Section 2(1) of the Fixed-Term Contracts in Higher Education and Research Act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz - WissZeitVG), the contract shall be extended by these periods (Sections 3 to 6, Section 10(3), Section 13(1) No. 3, Section 16). However, a prerequisite for the extension is that staff members state their consent vis-à-vis the university. This should be done at the earliest possible stage and in writing.

Maternity pay

Women are provided with financial security in the form of maternity benefits throughout the maternity protection period, before and after giving birth. Employers are obliged to subsidise these benefits. The subsidy is covered by the statutory health insurance fund via the U2 levy. If a fixed-term employment relationship ends during the maternity leave period, the woman is paid an amount equal to her sickness benefit.

Employer's obligations

• Notification obligation
  The employer must notify the relevant supervisory authority of the pregnancy without delay.
• Maternity pay supplement
  Women are provided with financial security in the form of maternity benefits throughout the maternity protection period before and after giving birth. Employers are obliged to subsidise these benefits. However, this subsidy is covered by the statutory health insurance fund via the U2 levy. If a fixed-term employment relationship ends during the maternity leave period, the woman is paid an amount equal to her sickness benefit.
• Covering costs
  The expectant mother is not obliged to provide her employer with a confirmation of pregnancy. Should the employer nevertheless request one, it must bear the costs itself. Furthermore, it is not entitled to inspect the maternity card.

Notification of a pregnancy

To ensure that the provisions governing maternity protection are adhered to, you should notify Leipzig University, as your employer, of your pregnancy and the expected date of birth as soon as you know them. If a medical certificate is required, Leipzig University shall bear the costs incurred.

To inform us of your pregnancy, you can send an informal email to the relevant HR department or drop it off in person during office hours. You will receive confirmation that you have notified us, together with information on maternity protection periods and aspects of employment law. Subsequently, the Environmental Protection and Occupational Safety Office will get in touch to perform a hazard assessment. This will be forwarded to the State Directorate for Saxony (Landesdirektion Sachsen).

Our university is legally obliged to notify the State Directorate for Saxony of your pregnancy. Both expectant mothers and staff of Leipzig University can contact the responsible supervisory authority (Referat 51 - Sozialer Arbeitsschutz, Schutz besonderer Personengruppen - employment protection office, protection of specific groups of employees) if they have any questions regarding the application of the protection regulations.

If the employer is informed in good time, parental leave under the Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (Gesetz zum Elterngeld und zur Elternzeit - BEEG) follows on immediately from the maternity protection period. However, mothers may also return to work and take parental leave at a later date after the protection period has ended. Parental leave must be registered with your employer at least seven weeks before it is due to begin. You can find more information under Parental leave.

Parental leave

If the employer is informed in good time, parental leave under the Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (Gesetz zum Elterngeld und zur Elternzeit - BEEG) follows on immediately from the maternity protection period. However, mothers may also return to work immediately and take parental leave at a later date after the protection period has ended. Parental leave must be registered with your employer at least seven weeks before it is due to begin. You can find more information under Parental leave.

Time off for medical check-ups

Expectant mothers must be given time off from work to attend medical check-ups that can only be carried out during working hours. No loss of earnings will be incurred. 

Breastfeeding breaks during working hours

Breastfeeding may not result in a loss of earnings. Breastfeeding mothers are also not permitted to work extra hours to make up for the time spent breastfeeding; also, breastfeeding breaks may not be deducted from their scheduled breaks. Time spent breastfeeding is secured by the Maternity Protection Act:

• minimum 30 minutes twice a day or
• an hour once a day or
• in the event of a working period lasting more than eight hours at a time, two breastfeeding breaks of at least 45 minutes each shall be granted at the mother’s request or - if no breastfeeding facilities are available in the vicinity of the workplace - one breastfeeding break of at least 90 minutes shall be granted. Working time shall be deemed to be continuous if it is not interrupted by a break lasting at least two hours.

Flexitime arrangement

In order to provide employees working in the administrative facilities with flexible working hours and to facilitate a family-friendly organisation of their working life, Leipzig University's non-academic staff are entitled to a flexitime employment agreement. This allows employees to work within a general time frame of Monday to Friday from 6am to 10pm. This facilitates family-friendly scheduling, for example with regard to committee work and networking.

Mobile working

Employees have the option to work flexibly outside Leipzig University at a location of their choice. This is to make it easier to combine caring for children and relatives, disabilities or chronic illnesses, and reintegration into the workplace with employees’ responsibilities at the university. Prerequisites include suitable work assignments, a mobile workplace, application and approval by the head of the department. You will find all the necessary information, contacts and application forms on the intranet.

Leipzig University and Studentenwerk Leipzig

You will find breastfeeding and nappy-changing facilities at various locations at Leipzig University and Studentenwerk Leipzig:

• Augustusplatz Campus
  Nappy-changing room in the lecture hall building on the 1st floor next to the "Kinderladen". The key can be collected from the Kinderladen during opening hours.
  during opening hours. There are family places and a children's corner in the cafeteria as well as changing tables in the toilets of the cafeteria Mensa am Park.
  
  Cafeteria Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße
  There is a baby-changing room at Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße 33, halfway up the stairs between the ground and upper floors (ladies' toilet, room 053).
  
  Centre for Social Services
  Nappy-changing table in the barrier-free WC. Changing utensils are available. In the waiting area of the Social Counselling Centre there is a play corner and breastfeeding facilities behind a privacy screen.
  
  Faculty of Education
  There is a well-equipped breastfeeding and nappy-changing room in House III at Marschnerstr. 31. Room -126 can be reached with a pushchair via the lift.
  
  Faculty of Life Sciences
  There is a nappy-changing table in the women's toilet on the first floor of Brüderstraße 34 as well as in the barrier-free WCs
  in Talstraße 33 and Johannisallee 21-23.
  
  Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
  The Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science has created nappy-changing facilities on the fifth floor of the Augusteum in both the women's and men's toilets. The folding nappy-changing tables are equipped with nappies size 2, 3 and 4, wet wipes and nappy bags.
  
  Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences
  Nappy-changing tables in the men's and women's toilets on the ground floor.
  
  Humanities Centre (GWZ)
  In the Beethovenstraße, the nappy-changing facilities are located on the ground floor in the middle building (building 3) behind the lifts in the barrier-free WC.
  
  Faculty of Medicine
  There is a nappy-changing room with a nursing sofa in the Central Library of Medicine in Liebigstraße.
  
  Mensa at the Elsterbecken
  On the ground floor there is a baby changing and breastfeeding room with nice big windows. The lift to the refectory on the upper floor is just around the corner.
  
  Mensa at the Park
  In the lecture hall building, there is a breastfeeding and nappy-changing room on the first floor next to the children's shop. If this is locked, the key can be collected from the "Kinderladen". In the nearby Mensa am Park there is a children's play corner and family seating.
  
  Liebigstraße refectory
  There is a folding nappy-changing table in the ladies' toilet on the ground floor.
  
  Peterssteinweg Canteen
  There is a folding nappy-changing table in the barrier-free toilet in the foyer area.
  
  Faculty of Sports Science
  In the aquatics centre on the Jahnallee campus, in both the men's and women's changing rooms.
  
  Strohsackpassage
  There is a changing table in the barrier-free WC on the 3rd floor of Nikolaistrasse 6-10 in the premises of the Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs.
  
  Student Service Centre (SSZ)
  In Goethestraße 6 there is a folding nappy-changing facility in the disabled toilet. Nappies, pads and wet wipes are there. There is a children's play corner right next to it. A baby food warmer can be provided if needed. Please note the opening hours of the SSZ.
  
  Faculty of Theology
  At Martin-Luther-Ring 3 there is a baby changing facility in the break room next to the lecture hall on the ground floor.
  
  Faculty of Economics and Management Science
  At Grimmaischen Str. 12 there is a folding nappy-changing table in the ladies' toilet on the 2nd floor, I 221.

City of Leipzig

• Apotheke im Petersbogen 
  Petersstraße 36-44
• Breuninger 
  Markt 12 (Toiletten im 2. Obergeschoss)
• Cafeteria Dittrichring - Hochschule für Musik und Theater 
  Dittrichring 21
• Deutsches Rotes Kreuz 
  Willy-Brandt-Platz 7 (3. Etage, Mittelbau über Fahrstuhl Nachtzugang)
• DM-Drogerie Markt 
  Grimmaische Straße 14 (im Obergeschoss)
• Familieninfobüro 
  Stadthaus, Burgplatz 1
• Galeria (Kaufhof)
  Neumarkt 1 (4. Etage neben der Spielzeugabteilung)
• H&M
  Petersstraße 1 (2. Obergeschoss bei den Anproben)
• Höfe am Brühl
  Brühl 1 (Untergeschoss neben den Toiletten)
• Hugendubel
  Petersstraße 12-14 (Toilette im Obergeschoss)

The university’s Academic Senate has recommended that parents are permitted to have their children with them in lectures. This must be arranged in such a way that it neither exposes the children to danger nor affects the quality of the lecture to a significant degree. Please make prior arrangements for this together with your lecturers.

The university library has a wide range of services available for using it together with your child.

Short-term loan for students with small children

Upon request, students with small children may borrow reference material from the open-access holdings of Leipzig University Library:

•     Loan of maximum three books for maximum three days
•     Please report to one of the service counters - a permanent entry will be made in your library account
•     This arrangement usually applies until the child starts school
•     Short-term loans do not apply to periodicals (but scanning and copying facilities are available).

24/7 campus library

The campus library in the lecture hall building can be used 24 hours a day. Outside the usual opening hours during the day, a night entrance is open at Augustusplatz. You can only use this entrance with a valid student or library card.

Access for the disabled

Information on access to the individual library locations for the disabled can be found on the university library website.

Study rooms

There is a group study room (A) on the third floor of the east reading area (Lesebereich Ost) in the Bibliotheca Albertina, which you can use as a parent-child study room on a preferential basis without prior reservation. You can reserve group study rooms in the campus library.

Our university founded the UNiKAT day-care centre in cooperation with the provider “Kindervereinigung Leipzig e.V.”, which takes an inclusive approach. It provides childcare for 35 children under three and for 116 children from the age of three until they start school. Six places are reserved for children with special needs. Please submit your request directly to the facility via the City of Leipzig’s parent portal.

Children of researchers, staff and students of Leipzig University Hospital and Leipzig University's Faculty of Medicine are cared for at the UniKidsLeipzig and miniUNIversum day-care centres, both of which are situated close to the university. Childcare is also available for children up to the age of three. Three childminders care for a maximum of five children each. The services are based on a cooperation with the Internationaler Bund (IB) Freier Träger der Jugend-, Sozial- und Bildungsarbeit e.V. (international association for youth, social and educational work).

Needs-based childcare is essential to enable parents to return to work or study early after the birth of a child. As there are not enough childcare places available, especially for children under the age of three, you should start looking for a place early and consider different childcare options. This includes, for example, day-care centres and childminders. The city or municipality where the child has its primary residence is always responsible for providing a state-subsidised childcare place. Private or privately run facilities can enrol children regardless of their place of residence. The City of Leipzig’s parent portal contains information on childcare services in day-care centres, after-school care facilities (Horte) and childminders. You can use the portal to search for available places in day-care centres for your desired starting date and, if there is a match, send a childcare request to the facility. An overview of all childcare services in Leipzig can also be found on the city’s website.

Leipzig University

• Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs
  Our FerienCampus programme provides regular childcare for children aged 6 to 12 during the summer and winter holidays. To ensure flexible hourly supervision during seminars, conferences or other events, you can borrow our cases containing games and toys and the mobile children’s playroom “makz”.

• Research Academy Leipzig
  In cooperation with the Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs, Research Academy Leipzig offers its members free flexible childcare for the duration of the events at each venue. Please inform the Research Academy of your childcare request together with your child’s or children’s age(s) by email. This should be done either when registering for an event or at least two weeks before the start of the event. We work with the mittagskind agency to provide childcare. The caregivers are all trained educators, have first aid pass and a police clearance certificate.

Medizinische Fakultät (Faculty of Medicine) and University Hospital

Day care for children up to the age of three is provided for children of researchers, staff and students of Leipzig University Hospital and Leipzig University’s Faculty of Medicine. Three childminders care for a maximum of five children each. The services are based on a cooperation with the Internationaler Bund (IB) Freier Träger der Jugend-, Sozial- und Bildungsarbeit e.V. (international association for youth, social and educational work. In addition, the MEFALE programme provides childcare for children aged 6 to 13 in the first and fifth week of the summer holidays and a holiday camp on the Medical Faculty campus in the first week of the winter holidays.

Babysitting services

For individual care, especially in the evenings, frequently the only option available is to hire a babysitter. Based on positive feedback, we can recommend, for example, Hummelbienchen and the Mittagskind agency.

Our FerienCampus programme provides regular childcare for children aged 6 to 12 during the summer and winter holidays.

Dates

School holidays do not always mean days off for parents. Childcare takes place regularly during the first week of the winter holidays and the second week of the summer holidays.

Participation fee

The participation fee includes the costs for supervision, meals and entrance fees and is staggered as follows:

* The "Ferienpass" is required for participation. Holders of a Leipzig Pass can obtain the Ferienpass at a reduced price (summer: €5, winter: €2.50) from the municipal offices. Subscribers to the LVB SchülerMobilCard (SMC) can obtain the Ferienpass free of charge from the LVB service centres.

REGISTRATION FOR THE FERIENCAMPUS

Important information

• Period
  Childcare takes place regularly during the first week of the winter holidays and the second week of the summer holidays. Childcare is available daily between 7:30 and 16:00.

• Location
  The meeting and pick-up point is the group room on the 1st floor of the Mensa am Elsterbecken in Marschnerstraße 29c, 04109 Leipzig.

• Childcare
  Professional supervision during the programme is ensured by an external agency that provides pedagogically experienced and trained supervisors.
• Procedure
  Once your registration has been confirmed, you will receive detailed information about the planned programme no later than the week before the start of the FerienCampus. This consists of age-appropriate offers at our university (for example, in the museums and collections or offers of the faculties) as well as via the Ferienpass programme of the city of Leipzig. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to purchase the holiday pass. If this has not yet been ordered through the school or the after-school care centre, it can be ordered through the CDF Office when registering.
• Participation fee
  The participation fee includes the costs for supervision, catering (breakfast and lunch), entrance fees and material costs.
• Conditions of participation
  By registering, you accept the conditions of participation of the FerienCampus.
• Resignation
  Registration for the "FerienCampus" is binding. A refund of participation fees already paid is possible up to two weeks before the start of the holiday programme week. After that, cancellation fees amounting to 50% of the participation fee will be charged until the start of the programme if the place cannot be filled. The full fee must be paid at the start of the holiday week.

Mobile cases containing toys and games are available at various locations at Leipzig University, enabling parents to find flexible childcare at our university, especially in the event of spontaneous appointments or if other childcare options have been cancelled. The wheeled cases contain a variety of toys and books for children aged between 6 months and about 7 years. As a member of our university, you can borrow makz for free at the various locations.

Locations

Please ask for the loan at the respective location:

• Bibliotheca Albertina
  Lucia Hacker

• Campus Augustusplatz
  Campus Service

• Fakultät für Physik und Geowissenschaften
  Dekanatssekretariat

• Geisteswissenschaftliches Zentrum:
  Herderinstitut

• Juristenfakultät
  Dekanatsekretariat

• Theologische Fakultät (Eltern-Kind-Zimmer)
  Laura Gonnermann

• Zentralverwaltung
  Stabsstelle Chancengleichheit, Diversität und Familie

Mobiles Kinderzimmer "makz"

The “makz” (which stands for Mobiles (mobile), ausleihbares (hirable) Kinderzimmer (children’s playroom) mobile playroom is a cupboard on wheels that can be converted into a painting table and toy shelf in one easy step. In addition to pens, craft materials, books and children’s games, it also contains nappy-changing materials as well as a play rug for babies and mats for nap time. As a member of our university, you can borrow makz for free at the various locations.

Terms and conditions of use