Attention all passengers: Thank you for choosing InterWorks for your professional journey! We understand that you have a choice when it comes to the company you work for, so we appreciate you voyaging through life with us! Of course, we also understand that while you’re here, you will require some necessary stopovers in your journey – things like vacations, family leave, scheduled holidays and just regular days off.
When you’re ready to book a break for any reason, this section will contain all the info you need to know to ensure you make the most of your time. Please note that we do encourage you to take time off! While we enjoy our time with you, it’s important to balance your work and personal lives. We’re here to support you in that regard however we can!
Though we like to stay busy at InterWorks, there are select blackout days where InterWorks offices are closed and all InterWorks employees have automatic paid time off. Of course, if you want to SAY that you are working during these holidays to avoid uncomfortable political debates with that one unruly uncle of yours, we won’t say a word. Do note that holidays may different from state to state (Bundesland to Bundesland).
For those unfamiliar, PTO stands for “paid time off,” and it’s what we use for most time-off requests. If you turn your attention to the content blocks below, you’ll see our detailed PTO policies for each region. Why the differences? Because each region has its own management structures and unique circumstances, and we want to cater to those as best as possible. Find your region below for the details most relevant to you.
Annual leave, sick leave and personal days all fall under Paid Time Off (PTO). Your PTO pay is based on your pay rate in effect when your PTO is used, and does not include bonuses or other special forms of compensation. Your PTO account is managed and tracked in MOAS, where you can make requests and keep track of your available PTO. Please remember that there are busy times here at IW and your request for PTO may need to be adjusted given work circumstances and customer demand. It’s always best to make annual leave requests as far in advance as possible. We are generally flexible with PTO arrangements, and you should never hesitate to ask about time off when you need it. The employee’s leave entitlement is 26 days per year based on a five-day work week. After two years of continuous employment at the start of the next January or July, the Annual Leave Allowance will increase by one day up to a maximum of 30 days of leave per year. The leave must be taken in agreement with the supervisor. Otherwise, the statutory provisions apply.
For 24 December (Heiligabend) and 31 December (Silvester), only a half-day of PTO is required to enjoy a full free day as it is usual in Germany.
The entire leave is to be taken within the current calendar year. A transfer of the leave to the next calendar year is permitted for a maximum of 5 days and expires after 31.03. of the following year if it has not been taken before then.
Notify your supervisor of your sickness via email. When you do this, please CC Ops and hr@interworks.de. After three days of illness, a doctor must be consulted to issue a sick note. Until then, a visit to the doctor is voluntary. With the new eAU (elektronische Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung) process, you no longer need to send your certification of incapacity for work to the employer. If you are sick on holiday, please notify the employer of your illness, and the sick days will be credited to your holiday.
In any case, don’t forget to put a PTO request in MOAS, type: Sick Leave.
InterWorks likes to celebrate … a lot. We especially like to celebrate YOU. On your birthday, you may be surprised by a card and a treat. Come on, let us spoil you a little! We also like to celebrate your InterWorks “Anniversary Date.” This is the first day you report to work or the first day that you were paid by InterWorks as an employee. Certain benefits and other employment matters here are based on your Anniversary Date, so there’s especially cause to celebrate this event each year.
Life happens, and there are several instances where traditional PTO structures don’t quite apply. We’ve tried to cover the big life events that require different leave guidelines, and you’ll find those listed below.
Mothers have maternity protection six weeks before and eight weeks after birth. In special cases, like premature birth, birth of twins, etc., the maternity protection extends from 8 to 12 weeks. During the maternity protection period, the statutory health insurance pays maternity allowance (13 euros per calendar day). From the beginning of pregnancy through to the end of maternity protection, mothers are protected from dismissal. We adhere to the requirements of the Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz).
Parental leave is an unpaid break from working life for mothers and fathers who care for and raise their child themselves. As an employee, you can request parental leave from your employer. You have to send this request seven weeks before the calculated date of birth. During parental leave, your employer must release you from work for up to three years per child. During this time, you do not have to work and do not receive a salary. To compensate, you can apply for Child Benefit/Parental Allowance (Kindergeld) which is given by the government:
Parents with statutory health insurance can apply for 15 working days of child sickness benefit per statutory insured child for the years 2024 and 2025, and single parents can apply for 30 days. If there are several children, each parent is entitled to no more than 35 days, and single parents are entitled to no more than 70 working days. To receive Kinderkrankengeld, contact your insurer and hr@.
Further information can be found on the website of the German Federal Ministry of Health.
Employees are entitled to time off from work to care for a close relative. Caregiver leave can be requested for a maximum of six months. During this time, the caregiver is released from work, usually without pay. Partial leave in the form of a reduction or distribution of working hours is also possible. Please discuss with hr@ and your manager as necessary.
We do allow for two days of bereavement leave before using PTO. Please discuss with hr@ and your manager as necessary.
There is one day of special paid leave for one’s own wedding. The same applies to a parent’s or child’s wedding ceremony, a parent’s golden wedding anniversary or a child’s confirmation or communion. Also, in other cases like burglary, you might apply for special leave. Please discuss with hr@ and your manager as necessary.
Journeys are better when they’re done together! Because we like hanging around together and having fun, you’ll be invited to various optional events throughout the year. There are also events that may be part of your job – things like lunch and learns, conferences and webinars. Here is the rundown on each of these event types.
We generally have a holiday party, a picnic, and we’ve done trips to the zoo, camping trips, cycling events and lots of other fun outings in the past. Some may include invitations for your family to attend, as well. While we love to have as many people as we can at these events, they are all optional, and you do not have to be there as part of your job.
If we need you to be at an event for work, your manager will clearly let you know that it is a work requirement. Sometimes, you may be asked to attend a conference or a meeting off site or out of town. While the conference or meeting may be considered a work-related activity, any activities you choose to participate in outside of the regular business of the event are also optional and not part of your job. Because these events and gatherings are options and voluntary on your part, nothing that happens at the event will be considered to have occurred “at work.” That means InterWorks won’t be liable for any accident, injury or other incident that occurs. And, since we’re all adults here, you are responsible for your own behavior and actions at these events.
Please be aware of how your behavior reflects upon InterWorks. In cases where alcohol is available or served, please be responsible and considerate to your coworkers and their families who may also be there. Even though an event may not be work-related, your actions or behavior at a holiday party, for example, can adversely affect your employment. To be able to work here at InterWorks, we need you to acknowledge and agree that your participation in the above-described events is voluntary and not a mandated part of your job, and to agree that you will not seek to hold InterWorks liable or responsible for any accident, injury, illness or other occurrence at such event. We’ll assume you agree if you keep showing up to work.