Looking for a cleaner, babysitter, or nanny? Here are the best places to find household help, along with our recommendations for every situation.
31.08.2026
Yes, your domestic helper is entitled to a reference letter if she asks for one, even for a mini-job. What belongs in it and which forms exist.
A key receipt confirms in writing which keys your domestic helper has received. That brings clarity if one ever goes missing.
In a private household you are exempt from the statutory timesheet obligation. It is still worth keeping one, as proof of pay and the minimum wage.
Yes, statutory accident insurance is mandatory from the first euro, even for a mini-job. It then runs automatically through the Minijob-Zentrale.
A full written contract is not mandatory, but you must hand over the key terms in writing, even for a mini-job. Here is what belongs in it.
A household helper who works only for you and follows your instructions is usually an employee, not self-employed. Here's when self-employment is allowed.
Whether from the EU or a third country, here's what your household helper needs to provide and what you must verify as an employer.
Relatives outside your household can be employed as domestic help and deducted under § 35a. Not possible for family members living in the same household.
Up to 603 €/month it's a mini-job, above that a midi-job (up to 2,000 €). The mini-job runs via the Haushaltsscheck; the midi-job is subject to social security.
The Betriebsnummer is an 8-digit number that identifies you as an employer. For a mini-job, the Minijob-Zentrale sorts it out automatically.
Every domestic helper working for pay on a regular basis must be registered — from the first euro. Otherwise you risk fines, back payments and full liability.
quitt surveyed 1,351 people and analyzed 1,935 employment contracts to shed light on the hidden world of domestic work.
With § 35a EStG you deduct 20 % of the cost of your household help directly from your tax, up to 510 € (mini-job) or 4,000 € per year.
Employing a domestic helper: what you have to register, what it costs and how registration works step by step, for a mini-job and for higher wages.
Yes, your domestic helper is entitled to a payslip too (§ 108 GewO). For a mini-job with a fixed wage, only when something changes.
For a mini-job, gross pay is usually the same as net. Deductions only start above the mini-job limit. Here's how to work out gross, net and your employer costs.
Nannies and babysitters earn €18.25/hr on average; €20.91/hr as a mini-job. 80% of childcare costs are tax-deductible, up to €4,800 per child.
A cleaner earns an average of €16.86/hr. With approximately 14.6% in contributions, you pay roughly €19.32/hr as an employer and receive 20% back through tax.
Notice has to be given in writing, with a period of four weeks to the 15th or the end of the month. In a private household no dismissal protection act applies.
Gifts in kind up to 50 € a month stay tax and contribution-free and do not count towards the mini-job limit. Cash, by contrast, is always wages, tips included.
24-hour care via the posting model costs €2,200–€3,500 per month. It's legal, but a single caregiver may not work around the clock.
If your domestic helper is injured at work or on the way to work, statutory accident insurance pays, not you, as long as she is registered.
Household-related services like cleaning or garden care by a company are 20 % deductible, up to 4,000 € a year, by invoice and bank transfer.
An agency is convenient but more expensive and less personal. Employing someone yourself is cheaper and more personal, and quitt takes the admin off your plate.
A domestic helper costs €16–€19 per hour plus 14.6% social security contributions. Thanks to § 35a you get 20% back — here's an overview of all costs.
Yes, your domestic helper is entitled to paid holiday too, pro-rated to her working days. At two days a week that is eight days a year.
If your domestic helper becomes pregnant, maternity protection periods apply. You get the costs for protection wage and supplement back 100 % via the levy U2.
Many helpers fear less net pay. For a mini-job gross is almost equal to net, and registered there is accident cover, pension, and paid holiday.
The Haushaltsscheck is the simplified way to register a mini-job in a private household. You pay around 14.6 % in contributions, collected twice a year.
