The path for self-employment is for many a jump into the deep end, which is also associated with some risks. Those who do not want to take this step completely can work part-time as a freelancer in addition to their main job in order to get an insight into this form of employment.
Distinction between freelancer, employee and contractor
Many companies make use of freelancers in addition to their own employees. Freelancing characterizes the type of employment relationship. A freelancer works as a self-employed person, i.e. in contrast to an employee, this employee is not bound by instructions and is not subject to social security contributions via the company.
Freelancing characterises the type of activity, but not the type of employment relationship. The latter is referred to as freelancing, as explained above. The latter is called freelancing, as already explained above. Nevertheless, contractors often work as freelancers, and a freelancer can also be a tradesman.
Typical characteristics of freelancers are:
- High qualification and specific knowledge
- Activity as a self-employed person: A freelancer is registered with the tax office as a freelancer or trader.
- Free arrangement of working hours and free choice of place of work. A freelancer has no right to a workplace on the company’s premises.
- A service or work contract is concluded between the company as the client and the freelancer as the contractor, usually for a limited period of time. Payment is made by the hour or the freelancer receives a lump sum. In contrast to the employee of a company, the freelancer does not receive a regulated, fixed monthly income.
- Freelancers are responsible for their own work assignments, and they may also work for several employers.
- Freelancers are responsible for their own social security and taxation of income; they are not subject to social security contributions.
- There is no entitlement to continued payment in the event of illness, and protection against dismissal no longer applies.
Freelancing as an employee – The employer must play along
If a person is employed by a company as a permanent employee and wants to work as a freelancer on the side, the person must inform the employer. The employer can refuse permission with reference to the employment contract or the company agreement.
Reasons for prohibiting further employment could include the employee’s desire to work for a competitor of the company or that the second job is so demanding on the employee that it interferes with the primary work.
Anyone wishing to take on a part-time job should discuss this with the employer in advance and enquire at the relevant offices (tax office, employment agency, chamber of trade, etc.) about the necessary certificates and forms. Depending on the scope of the additional employment, the employee is even obliged to inform the employer.
Appealing for different groups of people
In principle, part-time freelance work is suitable for anyone who, in addition to their main job, would like to gain an insight into a related or other professional field and/or who can combine their personal interests with part-time work.
Furthermore, there are other groups of people for whom part-time freelancing could be appealing:
For parents who temporarily leave the workforce entirely due to raising children, taking up freelancing could make it easier to re-enter the workforce. This also applies to parents who do not work full-time.
Students, in addition to earning money, can build their network, which can help them enter the workforce after graduation. Retirees who want to remain close to the work force or increase their retirement income can use their years of freelance work experience part-time.
Legal regulations on working time
The Working Hours Act regulates how long employees in Germany are allowed to work. This law regulates, among other things, the maximum duration of daily working time, breaks and rest periods as well as work on Sundays and public holidays. Under gesetzte-im-internet.de (§ 3 Working time of employees) it says:
“The working day of employees shall not exceed eight hours. It may be extended to up to ten hours only if an average of eight hours per working day is not exceeded within six calendar months or within 24 weeks.”
Working days are weekdays from Monday to Saturday. A full-time employee may therefore work a maximum of 48 hours per week. It is permissible to extend working hours from eight to ten hours at short notice, for example for seasonal or order-related reasons.
Furthermore, it is important that a self-employed person does not have to comply with any time limit in the side job. If the income from freelance work, which is achieved on the side, is above the tax allowance, the income from the main job and the side job are added together to calculate the tax.
Finding jobs as a freelancer – hints and tips
For part-time freelancers, just like full-time freelancers, there are a number of options that can help them acquire assignments or clients. As listed above, freelancers typically have specific skills and work on a project-by-project basis, so blind applications are often not suitable.
Self-promotion via advertising flyers and brochures is another option, but it is by no means certain that potential clients will react positively. It is better to actively organise the search via job exchanges, for example.
Via job exchanges on the Internet, numerous offers can be found for the various sectors.
Agency mediation on the rise
In addition to the above-mentioned options, placement agencies are becoming increasingly popular for job searches. These agencies often specialise in one industry and mediate between the company and the freelancer. Especially qualified professionals with specific skills, e.g. in the IT industry, can choose between a variety of offers.
