The three-phase concept of returning to work
The Federal Employment Agency (BA) has developed a “three-phase concept” to provide support and assistance to people returning to work after parental leave or a prolonged leave of absence due to family reasons. The point of that concept is to make sure that support and assistance is provided even before the parental leave or leave of absence commences, and is then continued steadily.
Phase 1: Prior to parental leave/leave of absence
Appraisal interview (no later than one month prior to parental leave/leave of absence) with Internal Services:
- Agreement and consulting regarding the employee’s professional future (with an eye to phase 2)
- Offer of contacts at the department
- Delivery of information material
- Assessment of the occasion in case of absence of one year or more.
Phase 2: During parental leave/leave of absence
Needs-based measures:
- Activities not impacting parental allowance (substitution etc.), project-based work, internships, assumption of teaching assignments, seminar attendance (possibly cross-regional), virtual learning, participation in meetings and staff briefings/communal events
- Information material
- Network of employees on parental leave/leave of absence
- Transfer of job ads
- Information on the current further training programme.
Mandatory measures:
Interview with a personnel consultant from Internal Services regarding the return to work held no later than six months and possibly three months prior to the return to work.
Phase 3: After parental leave/leave of absence
- Skill adaptation plan
- Targeted use of personnel development tools
- Phase-oriented appraisal interviews and support provided by the manager.
Flexible working hours at IAB
- Flexible working hours: can be completed at any time between 6:00 am and 9:00 pm.
- Traditional part-time: daily working hours are reduced on an hour-by-hour basis.
- Variable part-time: weekly working hours are distributed over one to five days. This means that daily, weekly, or monthly hours may vary.
- Mobile working allows for a better accommodation of family needs.
Family room
The family room at IAB is open to pregnant or breastfeeding employees as well as mother and fathers running into childcare difficulties. The family room at the BA Service House may also be used. Employees who are not based in the IAB building at Regensburger Straße 100 in Nuremberg may use the breastfeeding and family rooms in the respective BA buildings.
Pre-school playgroup at Luisenstraße
BA employees can enrol their children in the pre-school playgroup of the Freundesring Nürnberg und Sulzbürg e. V. at Luisenstraße (approx. a five minutes’ walk from the headquarters). An arrangement with the provider grants the BA precedence for 25 places at the pre-school playgroup each year. If you are interested, please send an email to IAB.PQI@iab.de.
Preallocation of a place in the crèches at Luisenstraße and Wilhelm-Späth-Straße
The BA is entitled to the preallocation of places in the crèches at Luisenstraße 10 and Wilhelm-Späth-Straße 12. Places are preallocated based on availability at either crèche. The provider is an institution run by the Rummelsberger Dienste für junge Menschen (Rummelsberger Services for Young People). For more information, please contact the Personnel, Qualification, and Infrastructure (PQI) business unit at: IAB.PQI@iab.de.
