TestZen · Einbürgerungstest · Practice

241. Ms. Seger gives birth to a child. What must she do to obtain parental allowance (Elterngeld)?

Official German wording

Frau Seger bekommt ein Kind. Was muss sie tun, um Elterngeld zu erhalten?

  1. Sie muss an ihre Krankenkasse schreiben.
  2. Sie muss nichts tun, denn sie bekommt automatisch Elterngeld.
  3. Sie muss einen Antrag bei der Elterngeldstelle stellen.
  4. Sie muss das Arbeitsamt um Erlaubnis bitten.

Answer options

  1. She must write to her health insurance fund.
  2. She does not have to do anything, because she automatically receives parental allowance.
  3. She must file an application with the parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle).
  4. She must ask the employment agency (Arbeitsamt) for permission.

Correct answer

She must file an application with the parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle).

Explanation

Parental allowance (Elterngeld) is a social benefit under the Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (BEEG) and is granted only upon application to the competent state Elterngeld office. By law, it may be paid retroactively only for the last three months prior to the month of application, making timely filing essential. Constitutionally, Elterngeld implements the state’s protective mandate for marriage and family (Art. 6(1), (4) Basic Law), the social state principle (Art. 20(1) GG), and advances substantive gender equality (Art. 3(2) sentence 2 GG).

Official sources

The German questions come from the original BAMF catalog for the Einbürgerungstest and Leben in Deutschland. Translations and explanations are study aids; verify legal details in the official sources.