Family end-of-life care leave

Employees can request for their working hours to be reduced or changed, or request leave in return for not receiving their salary in order to provide end-of-life care for a close family member, even if they are not living in the same household.

• Close relatives: grandparents, parents, spouses, partners, children, grandchildren, adopted or foster children and children of your partner who are living in the same household
• Also: siblings, parents-in-law, children-in-law, adopted or foster parents and biological children of your partner.

End-of-life care leave can be taken for up to three months. You need to provide written notification of the beginning and length of the leave. You can apply for end-of-life care leave to be extended, whereby the total length of leave may not exceed six months.

The employee must credibly present the reason for leave and extension of leave, as well as the relationship between him/her and the person in need of care.

If requested by the employer, a written confirmation of the relationship must be provided. The end-of-life care leave can be taken five work days, the extension ten work days after receipt of written communication at the earliest.

If the reason for end-of-life care no longer exists, the employer must be informed immediately. It is then possible to request a return to usual working times two weeks after end-of-life care is no longer needed.

Once the reason for end-of-life care no longer exists, the employer can request that the employee returns to work earlier than planned, as long as this does not present any disadvantages for the employee.

This request is made by writing an informal letter. Just ask if you would like us to send you a template for the University of Graz.

To ensure that you are financially secure while taking family end-of-life care leave, you can apply for a care leave allowance and a family end-of-life care – additional financial support from the Federal Ministry of Families and Youth.