Job sharing

Job sharing is also known as job sharing and is a flexible working time model. Two or more employees share at least one full-time position. The employees work closely together as a team and determine their working hours and tasks individually.

Forms of job sharing

There are the following different forms of job sharing.

• Job pairing: responsibilities are shared & important decisions are made jointly.
• Top sharing: Partner shares a management position. They are jointly responsible for strategic decisions
• Peer tandems: 2 specialists work in a key position. This makes sense for positions with many skill requirements and a high volume of work
• Succession tandems: A temporary tandem consisting of an experienced employee and a junior employee. The aim is for the junior employee to take over this position at a later date.
• Cross-functional tandems: The aim is to create synergies. Cross-company tandems involve employees from 2 companies (e.g. start-up & group) working together on one position.

Timing

Typically, the two job-sharing partners share their full-time position 50/50, but splits such as 70/30 or 60/40 are also possible.

Interestingly, working hours do not always have to be 100%. Particularly in management positions or in very demanding specialist roles, for example, ratios of 70/70 are not uncommon. This means that both partners work around 30 hours a week.

Special features under labor law

As job sharing is a special type of job sharing within the framework of a part-time employment relationship, it is regulated in Section 13 of the Part-Time Employment Act (Teilzeitbefristungsgesetz – TzBfG). We have summarized the most important information for you here:

1. It is contractually stipulated that 2 or more employees share a workplace. A duty of representation only exists if this is also regulated in the contract.
2. If a job-sharing partner resigns, the company cannot automatically dismiss the remaining partner. However, a so-called change of contract notice is possible (e.g. to a full-time position).
3. Every job sharer has their own employment contract. There is also an individual entitlement to salary payment, which is set out in the employment contract or collective agreement. Job sharers have a pro rata entitlement to a joint salary, which is based on the number of agreed working hours.
4. A joint work plan is drawn up and agreed between the partners. This plan is legally binding for all partners.
5. As with part-time employees, vacation entitlement, vacation pay, vacation pay and sick pay are treated in the same way.