Question 1

How do I calculate my part-time salary?

Accepted Answer

Divide your part-time weekly hours by the full-time weekly hours and multiply the result by the full-time salary. Example: 30 of 40 hours is 75%, so €4,000 gross becomes €3,000 gross. Section 4(1) of the German Part-Time Act (TzBfG) requires this: part-timers receive at least the share of full-time pay that matches their working time.

Question 2

Why does my net pay fall less than my working hours?

Accepted Answer

Because of the progressive income tax. The lower your income, the lower your average tax rate. If you cut from 40 to 30 hours you lose 25% gross, but usually only about 21 to 22% net (tax class I, €4,000 gross). Social contributions, on the other hand, fall exactly in proportion unless you drop into the transition zone.

Question 3

How many holiday days do I get in part-time?

Accepted Answer

Calculate holiday days × working days per week ÷ 5. With 30 days at full time and 3 working days in part-time, you get 18 holiday days. If you still work 5 days, just shorter ones, you keep all 30 days. The number of weeks off stays the same in both cases: six weeks.

Question 4

Do I have a legal right to part-time work?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you have been employed for more than six months and your employer usually has more than 15 employees (Section 8 TzBfG). You must make the request in text form at least three months before the start. The employer may only refuse for operational reasons. If they do not reply in text form at least one month before the requested start, your hours count as reduced.

Question 5

What is bridge part-time?

Accepted Answer

Bridge part-time (Section 9a TzBfG) is temporary part-time for at least one and at most five years. Afterwards you automatically return to your previous hours. The right applies in companies that usually employ more than 45 people. With 46 to 200 employees, the employer may refuse if a quota is already used up (e.g. four people for 46 to 60 employees).

Question 6

What happens if my part-time salary falls below €2,000?

Accepted Answer

Between €603.01 and €2,000 a month you are in the transition zone (midi-job) in 2026. You then pay lower employee social contributions, but your pension entitlement is based on the full salary. The part-time calculator takes this into account automatically. Up to €603 the job is a mini-job.

Question 7

Is it worth changing tax class when working part-time?

Accepted Answer

For married couples it can pay off if one partner earns much less: the III/V combination shifts the monthly wage-tax deduction in favour of the higher earner. The annual tax does not change, only its spread across the year. Note: wage-replacement benefits such as parental allowance or unemployment benefit are based on net pay, so tax class V can be a disadvantage there.

Question 8

How does part-time affect my pension?

Accepted Answer

Pension points depend on your gross salary. If you work 75%, you only collect about 75% of the pension points. Over many years this adds up noticeably. Exceptions are child-raising and care periods, which are credited in addition. In the transition zone you get full pension entitlement despite lower contributions.

Guide: Part-Time Calculator

Calculating Part-Time Pay: What Is Left Net When You Cut Your Hours?

The Right to Part-Time and Bridge Part-Time in Germany: Deadlines and Rules

Holiday Entitlement in Part-Time: Formula, Examples and Switching Mid-Year

Part-Time and Your Pension: What Each Year of Part-Time Costs You

Part-Time and Tax Class: III/V, IV/IV or the Factor Method for Married Couples?

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