With the amended Infection Protection Act going into effect in Germany, the federal “emergency brake” also applies to North Rhine-Westphalia.
In primary and secondary schools, face-to-face instruction is thus prohibited if the seven-day incidence rate in a county or independent city exceeds the threshold of 165 on three consecutive days. Exceptions are possible for graduating classes and special education schools. You can find the most current information on school operations, albeit in German, on the Ministry of Education website.
Children in daycare are also affected by this regulation. A ban will apply to childcare in KiTas and other childcare settings in NRW. Emergency care will, however, be available for exceptional circumstances. Parents can find more information in German, on the Ministry for Children, Family, Refugees and Integration website.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs will determine when schools must transition from alternating lessons at home and school to online instruction or when KiTas will have to switch from regular to emergency care.
The entitlement for parents receiving the child sick leave benefit (Kinderkrankengeld) under Section 45(2a) of the German Social Security Code has been retroactively extended for 2021 by an additional ten working days (an additional 20 working days for single parents) for all employees covered by statutory insurance. In 2021, each parent will now have 30 child sick days per child instead of 20 (60 days instead of 40 for single parents). In total, statutorily insured employees are entitled to no more than 65 working days, and single parents to no more than 130 working days. This regulation shall apply with retroactive effect as of January 5, 2021. Parents who must care for their children at home due to closed schools and daycare are also eligible. Parents are entitled to this benefit regardless of whether they have the option of working from home. Visit the the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth website for more information in German here.
Regardless of annual salary thresholds, civil servants may also be granted special leave to care for children who are sick or must be cared for at home due to pandemic-related restrictions on access to care. However, this is only true if regular university operations do not suffer and no other person living in the household is available to care for these children. These regulations apply even if parents have the option of working from home.