Hiring mini-jobbers in Germany: employer rules 2026

In 2026 a job is a mini-job with an earnings limit if your mini-jobber earns no more than €603 a month on average. You pay at least the minimum wage of €13.90 per hour, register them with the Minijob-Zentrale no later than 6 weeks after the start and record their daily working hours. Mini-jobbers have almost the same rights as full-time staff, for example paid leave and sick pay.

Key facts at a glance

Earnings limit 2026: €603 a month on average, up to €7,236 a year
Minimum wage: €13.90 per hour since 1 Jan 2026, €14.60 from 1 Jan 2027
Registration: With the Minijob-Zentrale, no later than 6 weeks after the start
Immediate notification: In certain sectors, e.g. restaurants, hotels, construction, cleaning, hairdressing: no later than when work starts
Levies (business): At most 31.17% to the Minijob-Zentrale, plus accident insurance
Working hours: Record start, end and duration by the 7th calendar day after
Keeping records: At least 2 years
Paid leave: Working days per week × 24 ÷ 6, so 8 days a year for 2 days

When is a job a mini-job?

A mini-job with an earnings limit means average earnings of no more than €603 a month, or up to €7,236 a year. The limit has applied since 1 January 2026 and is linked to the minimum wage: it is set so that 10 hours a week at the minimum wage fit into it.

If your mini-jobber has to work more for an unforeseeable reason, for example to cover for a sick colleague, they may go over the limit in up to 2 calendar months within 12 months. Earnings may then be at most €1,206 in that month, which is twice the limit.

What is the minimum I have to pay?

The statutory minimum wage also applies to mini-jobs. Since 1 January 2026 it is €13.90 gross per hour. According to the Federal Ministry of Labour (BMAS) it rises to €14.60 on 1 January 2027.

Exceptions include minors without completed vocational training and mandatory internships. If your sector has a sector-specific minimum wage, it can be higher.

How do I register a mini-jobber?

Registering is the employer's job. For businesses it is done electronically with the Minijob-Zentrale, either with certified payroll software or with the SV-Meldeportal. For the SV-Meldeportal you need an ELSTER organisation certificate.

Apply for an establishment number (Betriebsnummer) at the Federal Employment Agency. You need the company number from your employers' liability insurance association (Berufsgenossenschaft or Unfallkasse).
Statutory accident insurance is compulsory.
Register no later than 6 weeks after the mini-job starts. Person group for a mini-job with an earnings limit: 109.
In certain sectors, for example restaurants, hotels, construction, building cleaning or hairdressing, you also send an immediate notification (Sofortmeldung) no later than when work starts. It does not replace the registration. The Minijob-Zentrale lists the sectors concerned.

What levies do I pay for a mini-jobber?

For a mini-job in a business you pay, according to the Minijob-Zentrale, at most 31.17% of earnings to the Minijob-Zentrale. Accident insurance comes on top; your Berufsgenossenschaft or Unfallkasse sets that contribution.

Your mini-jobber usually pays 3.6% towards pension insurance. They can opt out. They hand the application to you, and you report the exemption within 6 weeks. You keep paying your own flat-rate contribution of 15%. From 1 July 2026 a mini-jobber can reverse the exemption once, for the future.

Health insurance: 13%
Pension insurance: 15%
U1 levy (sickness): 0.8%
U2 levy (maternity): 0.22%
Insolvency benefit levy: 0.15%
Flat-rate tax: 2% (or individual taxation)

Do I have to record working hours?

Yes. Under section 17 of the Minimum Wage Act (MiLoG) you record the start, end and duration of a mini-jobber's daily working time. You must do this by the end of the seventh calendar day after the working day and keep the records for at least 2 years. This duty does not apply to mini-jobs in private households.

With time tracking in enoono your team clocks in and out on their phones. You can export the hours as a CSV file for payroll or as PDF timesheets. As the employer you remain responsible for complete and correct records.

Are mini-jobbers entitled to paid leave and sick pay?

Yes. Mini-jobbers are treated like full-time staff in almost every area: protection against dismissal, continued pay during illness, maternity and public holidays, paid leave and the minimum wage.

The statutory minimum leave depends on working days per week: working days × 24 ÷ 6. A mini-jobber working 2 days a week has 8 days of paid leave a year, at 5 days it is 20.

If they are ill through no fault of their own, you continue to pay for up to 6 weeks, for the days they would have worked. The right starts after 4 weeks of employment. If a regular working day falls on a public holiday, you pay the usual earnings for that day.

How do I find mini-jobbers on enoono?

Create a job and choose the type “Mini-job (Germany)”. This type is available for jobs in Germany. Applicants find it in the job list with the mini-job filter and their city, and apply to you directly.

How to find mini-jobbers on enoono

Create a free business profile.
Post a job and choose the type “Mini-job”.
Invite your team, plan shifts and track hours.

Start for free

Frequently asked questions

How much can a mini-jobber earn in 2026?

No more than €603 a month on average, so up to €7,236 a year.

By when do I have to register a mini-jobber?

No later than 6 weeks after the mini-job starts, with the Minijob-Zentrale. In certain sectors, for example restaurants, hotels, construction, building cleaning or hairdressing, an immediate notification is also due no later than when work starts.

Does the minimum wage apply to mini-jobs?

Yes. Since 1 January 2026 it is €13.90 per hour, from 1 January 2027 €14.60.

How long do I keep records of working hours?

At least 2 years. You record start, end and duration of the daily working time by the end of the seventh calendar day after the working day.

What levies does a mini-jobber cost?

In a business at most 31.17% of earnings to the Minijob-Zentrale, plus the accident insurance contribution.

How many days of paid leave does a mini-jobber get?

Working days per week × 24 ÷ 6. With 2 working days a week that is 8 days a year.

Sources

Information without guarantee, as of October 2026