All persons employed in private households are insured against accidents in accordance with the Seventh Book of the Social Code. Private households become employers by employing a domestic helper.
The term household help includes:
- Cleaners,
- babysitters,
- kitchen help,
- garden helpers as well as
- child and adult caregivers.
Statutory accident insurance is non-contributory for employees. The costs are borne by the employer - i.e. you as the person running the household. By paying the contribution, you as the employer are released from liability if something happens to your domestic staff in your household. Liability is then assumed by the accident insurance fund. This is your point of contact in the event of accidents at work and on the way to and from work as well as occupational illnesses suffered by your domestic staff.
The benefits range from medical treatment to a lifelong pension.
As a private employer, you are a member of the accident insurance fund by law. When registering for statutory accident insurance, a distinction must be made as to whether the employment is marginal or subject to compulsory insurance.
Employment subject to compulsory insurance exists if:
- the person you employ receives more than 520.00 EUR per month from you, or
- the person is employed both in your private household and in your office, practice or business enterprise, and
- the work in your private household is predominant, i.e. more than 50 percent of the total working time.
You must report these employees who are subject to compulsory insurance to the accident insurance fund of the federal state in which the household is located.
You do not have to report marginal employment to the accident insurance fund. This so-called mini-job exists if the monthly earnings do not exceed 520.00 EUR. You must register mini-jobs in the household with the Minijob-Zentrale using the so-called household check procedure.