Combining
career and family is a problem most of us will encounter during our
lives – and you will have to deal with questions ranging from parental
leave to finding a day-care center. However, it is not always easy to
find the right moment for having children in a scientific career. During
your post-doc? During your PhD?
Always Bad Timing?
From an economic and organizational perspective, having a child while you are employed is always a burden to the employer: they lose an employee during parental leave, meaning they need to look for a replacement or pause the project for some time. However, we should understand that employers are fine with fulfilling these duties and providing support to the parents-to-be – after all people are people and not merely employees. Having a child is a very individual decision and if you decide to do it during your PhD or post-doc, it will always come with a lot of problems: From a work point of view, there will never be a perfect moment.
From an economic and organizational perspective, having a child while you are employed is always a burden to the employer: they lose an employee during parental leave, meaning they need to look for a replacement or pause the project for some time. However, we should understand that employers are fine with fulfilling these duties and providing support to the parents-to-be – after all people are people and not merely employees. Having a child is a very individual decision and if you decide to do it during your PhD or post-doc, it will always come with a lot of problems: From a work point of view, there will never be a perfect moment.
The Challenges
When having a child as a PhD student, you are up for several challenges – one of them being your terms of employment. Usually, PhD students are paid either with a scholarship or a part-time contract. If you have a part-time contract, the same rules apply to you as to any employee. Your situation is regulated by law in that you will be eligible for parental leave, allowance and child benefits [1]. Your contract will be extended by the amount of time of maternal or paternal leave.
When having a child as a PhD student, you are up for several challenges – one of them being your terms of employment. Usually, PhD students are paid either with a scholarship or a part-time contract. If you have a part-time contract, the same rules apply to you as to any employee. Your situation is regulated by law in that you will be eligible for parental leave, allowance and child benefits [1]. Your contract will be extended by the amount of time of maternal or paternal leave.
Scholarship students get the short end of the stick
In case of a
scholarship, the situation is much more complicated. Since you are not
regularly employed and don’t pay taxes, you are not entitled to have
parental leave and will receive only the minimum amount of parental
allowance, which sums up to 300 euros per month [2]. With a contract,
the parental allowance equals 65-67% of your pre-leave income [1]. If
you have a scholarship, it depends very much on your institute whether
or not and for how long your scholarship can be extended [2]. In this
sense, having a scholarship during your PhD rather seems like a
stumbling block when trying to re-conciliate career and family.
 |
| Source: Juliane Schiweck |
Where To Get Information
Once you decide to have a child, your first challenge will be to obtain information regarding your situation. Especially – but not only – as an international PhD student, the process of becoming a parent in terms of knowing your rights and obligations in the workplace, as well as the financial benefits you can receive, can be confusing to say the least.
It is essential to talk to your supervisor in order to plan the subsequent steps of your PhD, but many times your supervisor might not have all the information you need. This is pretty unfortunate, since it would be fairly easy for the central institutions of the universities to provide such crucial information to the supervisors, be it an information brochure or a seminar!
Once you decide to have a child, your first challenge will be to obtain information regarding your situation. Especially – but not only – as an international PhD student, the process of becoming a parent in terms of knowing your rights and obligations in the workplace, as well as the financial benefits you can receive, can be confusing to say the least.
It is essential to talk to your supervisor in order to plan the subsequent steps of your PhD, but many times your supervisor might not have all the information you need. This is pretty unfortunate, since it would be fairly easy for the central institutions of the universities to provide such crucial information to the supervisors, be it an information brochure or a seminar!
Pay a visit to the Familienbüro
However, you can get some advice at the Familienbüro
of your institution, which deals with combining carrier and family [3].
Unfortunately, the relevant information available on the internet is
almost exclusively in German, making it very difficult for international
students. If you decide to have a child during the PhD and you are part
of a PhD program, the Familienbüro is one of the first places
you should turn to. If you are part of the Medical Neurosciences
Program, you can get help at the program office. There, they offer
support and information, especially for international students who do
not speak German and need help with administrative issues.
Back To Work?
Once your kiddo is born, parents will have to think about getting back to work. Parental leave can be split between the two parents, so that each is absent at work for the least amount of time possible and gets to spend time with the child as well [4].
When both parents decide to return to work, new problems arise, like finding a day-care center. This can be challenging and at times, you have to wait for over a year to get a spot. Fortunately, being employed at a big institution like the Charité has certain benefits. The Charité cooperates with day-care centers in Berlin and, in most cases, it will be possible for you to get a spot for your baby reasonably fast.
Once your kiddo is born, parents will have to think about getting back to work. Parental leave can be split between the two parents, so that each is absent at work for the least amount of time possible and gets to spend time with the child as well [4].
When both parents decide to return to work, new problems arise, like finding a day-care center. This can be challenging and at times, you have to wait for over a year to get a spot. Fortunately, being employed at a big institution like the Charité has certain benefits. The Charité cooperates with day-care centers in Berlin and, in most cases, it will be possible for you to get a spot for your baby reasonably fast.
In
a nutshell, having a baby during your PhD is difficult, mostly because
it depends on how supportive and understanding your supervisor is.
Uncertainties concerning financial aspects and the regulations of your
contract also make things worse. If you are a PhD student with a
scholarship, the situation is far from ideal.
It is necessary that universities start taking responsibility for their employees – especially the ones without a contract.
However, having a child is an individual decision and if you decide it
is the right moment for you, don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself.
Juliane Schiweck, PhD Student AG Eickholt
No comments:
Post a Comment