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A woman within the meaning of the Maternity Protection Act is any person who is pregnant, has given birth to a child or is breastfeeding. In principle, your employees are free to decide if and when they inform you about their pregnancy or breastfeeding. You do not have to notify the supervisory authority responsible for you until your employee has informed you about your pregnancy.

Regardless of the type of employment relationship, the Maternity Protection Act also applies to:

• women working part-time,
• women in marginal employment (mini-jobs),
• women in fixed-term employment or on probation,
• women undergoing vocational training and trainees,
• women with disabilities employed in a workshop for disabled people,
• women who work as volunteers within the meaning of the Youth Voluntary Service Act or the Federal Voluntary Service Act, and
• Women who work as members of a spiritual cooperative, deaconesses or members of a similar community in a permanent position or on the basis of a contract of assignment, including during the period of their extracurricular training there.

They should also provide information on the type of employment in the notification to the competent supervisory authority. This saves queries. In any case, you must specify the following:

• name, address and date of birth of the expectant mother, and
• expected date of delivery.

Please ask your competent supervisory authority in your federal state what additional information is required.

If you wish to employ the pregnant or breastfeeding employee after 8 p.m., you must apply separately.

If you have notified the supervisory authority about an employee's pregnancy, you no longer have to report when your employee returns to work and breastfeeds.

Important Notes:

• You may not disclose your employee's pregnancy and breastfeeding information to third parties without authorisation (except to the persons in your company who are entrusted with the implementation and implementation of protective measures).
• In addition to the obligation to notify, you as an employer have other obligations, such as health protection at the workplace and benefits during and after pregnancy. If you do not comply with the maternity protection regulations, this can be punished. The supervisory authority will also advise you on maternity protection issues.
   

• Your employee has informed you about her pregnancy or breastfeeding.

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Please inquire at the supervisory authority responsible for your federal state about any processing fees incurred.

The notification of the employment of a pregnant or breastfeeding woman must be made in writing or orally:

• In most federal states, the registration form is available online. Download it and fill it out. However, you can also make the message informal.
• You can also provide information about the type and length of employment of your pregnant employee in order to avoid queries from the supervisory authority if necessary.
• Send the notification to your supervisory authority
• As a rule, you will not receive a confirmation of receipt.

Note: If you wish to employ your pregnant or breastfeeding employee after 8 p.m., you must apply separately. If you want to employ them on Sundays and public holidays, you must notify the supervisory authority.
 

• If your employee has informed you about her pregnancy, you must inform the competent supervisory authority immediately.

The competent supervisory authorities of the federal states for maternity protection and protection against dismissal.

In Brandenburg, the State Office for Occupational Safety, Consumer Protection and Health (LAVG)

• List of supervisory authorities of the Länder on the website of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth

The competent supervisory authorities of the federal states for maternity protection and protection against dismissal.

In Brandenburg, the State Office for Occupational Safety, Consumer Protection and Health (LAVG)

• List of supervisory authorities of the Länder on the website of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth

• § 1 Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG)
• § 27 Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG)

The Maternity Protection Act does not apply to:

• Independent
• Board members and managing directors of legal entities or companies (insofar as they are not predominantly also active as employees),
• housewives and
• Civil servants, judges and soldiers.

• Brochure "Employer's Guide to Maternity Protection" of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs can be ordered and downloaded from the website of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs
• Brochure "Guide to maternity protection" can be ordered and downloaded from the website of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs

Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ)