Freistellen

Freistellen is a German verb with several related meanings centered on the idea of freeing or exempting someone or something from a duty, obligation, or constraint. In everyday language it can mean to release from work, to grant an exemption, or to make a subject stand out by removing surrounding elements. The noun forms freistellung or freistellungsauftrag are used in different contexts.

In employment and administration, freistellung denotes the temporary release of an employee from duties while employment continues. Reasons can include attending official duties, training, jury service, or special projects. The legal and contractual framework determines whether the time off is paid or unpaid and how it affects benefits, seniority, or vacation entitlement. In HR practice, freigestellte employees remain under contract but are relieved from normal work obligations for a defined period.

In taxation and finance, freistellung appears in the sense of exemption from withholding or taxation. A freistellungsauftrag is an instruction to a bank or financial institution to exempt certain income from automatic tax withholding up to a specified limit, for example on capital gains or interest. This device helps individuals manage tax-free allowances and prevents double withholding within statutory limits.

In photography and graphic design, freistellen refers to isolating a subject from its background, creating a cut-out or freisteller with a transparent or uniform background. The result is used for product images, advertising, and composites, where the object appears without surrounding context.

In a broader legal sense, freistellen can also mean to absolve someone from liability or obligation, i.e., to release them from responsibility for a specified matter.