Working part-time: Advantages and disadvantages

Anyone who does not want to choose between family and career will at some point be interested in a part-time position in order to work part-time. This initially means working less than 40 hours a week for a company. Beyond that, however, there are many unanswered questions, which we will address today.

What is part-time?

A part-time position is defined by the respective employment relationship. For example, in some companies 40 hours per week is considered full-time, in other companies 38 hours. According to Section 2 of the Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act (TzBfG), an employee is employed part-time if their regular weekly working hours are shorter than those of a full-time employee. However, if there are no regular weekly working hours, the average working hours over a period of one year are compared to a full-time position.
Anyone who has been employed in a company for longer than six months is entitled to a reduction in their working hours. This can be discussed directly with the employer and, if desired, the specific working hours can be recorded in the employment contract. Part-time employees either work a few hours each day of the week or are allocated a few days per week. There is no legal regulation that specifically defines this.

Since January 2019, there has been bridge part-time work, which should not be confused with a traditional part-time position. Bridge part-time describes a temporary reduction in working hours in accordance with Section 9a TzBfGs.

If an employee meets the following requirements, he or she is entitled to it:

• worked for the company for more than six months,
• The company employs more than 45 people,
• the written application was submitted three months before the part-time work was taken up,
• It is utilized for a period of one to five years,

However, even if all these points are met, an employer has the right to reject an application for bridging part-time work if there are urgent operational reasons. In addition, they are only obliged to approve one application per 15 employees.

In principle, every employee has the right to reduce their working hours. This also applies to employees in managerial positions, mini-jobbers, fixed-term employees and employees who already work part-time.

Entitlement to part-time work

According to § 8 TzBfG, there is an entitlement to part-time work for every employee who fulfills the following requirements:

• the employment relationship has existed for more than six months,
• The company employs more than 15 people,
• the reduction in hours is requested in writing,
• The start date and the number of hours are noted in the application,
• there are no urgent operational reasons that speak against it

If there are urgent operational reasons against the part-time position, the employer must inform the employee of these in writing. One such reason could be that the business is at risk. However, if the written request has been accepted by the employer, the employer is not obliged to approve a further reduction in working hours for another two years.

The advantages and disadvantages of part-time work

The advantages of part-time work for employees are obvious. First and foremost, reduced working hours give employees more time for other things, such as family, friends and leisure. The newly gained free time can be used to relax and get back to work with more motivation. But switching to part-time work is also worthwhile professionally for those who want to build up their self-employment alongside their secure, permanent job. The same applies to training and further education, for which there is now more time.

But the disadvantages are also obvious: there is less pay, which is also reflected in vacation and Christmas bonuses. Pension and unemployment benefit entitlements are reduced accordingly. In contrast to part-time work, there is no entitlement to an increase in working hours, so the reduction should be well thought out from the outset. In the meantime, full-time employees in the company have the opportunity to climb further up the career ladder.

What models are available?

There are a total of four models that are common in part-time work. The classic part-time model is defined by the classic reduction in working hours. Due to the regular redistribution of hours, this model is the easiest for employers to implement. Working hours are spread over five days a week, during which fewer hours are worked. It is suitable for both employees and skilled workers, both benefit from the fixed working hours. The employer receives more motivated employees who work more effectively and the additional administrative workload is rather low.

The part-time invest model is a form of invisible part-time work. This involves working full-time but only being paid part-time. The difference is saved as time or money in an account. This model opens up the possibility of taking periods of leave lasting several months, such as sabbaticals or early retirement. The salary continues to be paid during these phases. This model is suitable for employees, specialists and managers alike. For the employee, this means time off or salary savings, longer periods of leave with continued salary payments with continuous social security cover, tax advantages and more time for further training. The employer benefits from the fact that the employee continues to work full-time and is better able to cope with under-utilization in the event of salary demands. At the same time, the employee continues to train.

The block model enables a temporary form of part-time work. It can cover a school semester of up to seven years, the pay remains the same, but the number of hours per week depends on the sub-model chosen. If the block model is chosen for family reasons, the reduction in working hours can take place at the beginning of the approval period. In the case of family care leave, the reduction in working hours during the care phase takes place at the beginning of the approval period. The third option would be to take time off immediately before retirement. The half-year model results in full employment for two half-years with a duration of three school half-years, the salary is paid at ⅔ and the leave of absence is correspondingly one half-year. A two-year leave of absence means the duration of six years at ⅔ of the salary, full-time employment for four years and a leave of absence of two years.

The job-sharing model is also part-time and refers to the division of a full-time position into two part-time positions. The employee benefits from the free time gained, while the employer benefits from the fact that one full-time position is filled. This model is anchored in § 13 TzBfG. In addition, this model can be combined with the above-mentioned block model, so that a full year off could be guaranteed at some point.

Further questions