Equal and non-transferable maternity and paternity leave
Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2024 9:12 am
Last week, Congress considered the proposal presented to make paternity and maternity leave equal and non-transferable. We look at what this means for fathers and mothers and how it affects their professional and personal lives.
Proposals to improve paternity leave and make it equal
What rights do parents have in other EU countries?
The proposal being processed by Congress - all groups voted unanimously to take it into consideration - aims to equate the 16 weeks of maternity leave with the 5 weeks of paternity leave , extending the latter by 11 weeks. Maternity and paternity leave would be equal and non-transferable .
It is not the only body that is studying this issue. The Constitutional Court has accepted a claim that calls for equalisation of both rights. In this way, almost eight months of the austria email list 860976 contact leads newborn's life would be covered, if holidays are included, when the child could be in the care of his or her parents . The problem of having to find a nursery or leave the child with the grandparents, which are the two most common alternatives, would be avoided .
Proposals to equalize maternity and paternity leave
The proposal being considered includes 16 weeks for each parent , which cannot be transferred. In other words, the father cannot give up his right in favour of the mother . In this way, the aim is for both parents to be jointly responsible for the care of the newborn.
The first two weeks are mandatory for both parents and they must take them immediately after the birth or adoption. Afterwards, both parents would have four weeks, also mandatory, but which could be taken at any time during the first year of the baby's life. The rest would be voluntary , meaning that the right to paid leave could be waived, but never transferred to the other parent. However, the 16 weeks should be taken in the first year of the child's life.
The parties will have to negotiate to see how a proposal of this type can be drafted in the final version . Some parties propose that the leave be taken immediately after birth and simultaneously by both parents, preventing them from taking turns in caring for the child and having to leave the child in a nursery from 4 months onwards, if both parents work.
Other parties do not agree with the fact that parental leave cannot be transferred from one parent to another, but they do prefer to introduce a bonus system so that, if parental leave is not transferred, parents can enjoy more time.
How could this measure affect the gender gap?
The downside to such a measure is that it would not help to reduce the gender gap. As shown by INE data , the wage gap increases by 20 points when a person has a child . While fathers do not notice any difference when they return to work after their leave, many women are forced to reduce their working hours or take leave to care for their newborn.
Proposals to improve paternity leave and make it equal
What rights do parents have in other EU countries?
The proposal being processed by Congress - all groups voted unanimously to take it into consideration - aims to equate the 16 weeks of maternity leave with the 5 weeks of paternity leave , extending the latter by 11 weeks. Maternity and paternity leave would be equal and non-transferable .
It is not the only body that is studying this issue. The Constitutional Court has accepted a claim that calls for equalisation of both rights. In this way, almost eight months of the austria email list 860976 contact leads newborn's life would be covered, if holidays are included, when the child could be in the care of his or her parents . The problem of having to find a nursery or leave the child with the grandparents, which are the two most common alternatives, would be avoided .
Proposals to equalize maternity and paternity leave
The proposal being considered includes 16 weeks for each parent , which cannot be transferred. In other words, the father cannot give up his right in favour of the mother . In this way, the aim is for both parents to be jointly responsible for the care of the newborn.
The first two weeks are mandatory for both parents and they must take them immediately after the birth or adoption. Afterwards, both parents would have four weeks, also mandatory, but which could be taken at any time during the first year of the baby's life. The rest would be voluntary , meaning that the right to paid leave could be waived, but never transferred to the other parent. However, the 16 weeks should be taken in the first year of the child's life.
The parties will have to negotiate to see how a proposal of this type can be drafted in the final version . Some parties propose that the leave be taken immediately after birth and simultaneously by both parents, preventing them from taking turns in caring for the child and having to leave the child in a nursery from 4 months onwards, if both parents work.
Other parties do not agree with the fact that parental leave cannot be transferred from one parent to another, but they do prefer to introduce a bonus system so that, if parental leave is not transferred, parents can enjoy more time.
How could this measure affect the gender gap?
The downside to such a measure is that it would not help to reduce the gender gap. As shown by INE data , the wage gap increases by 20 points when a person has a child . While fathers do not notice any difference when they return to work after their leave, many women are forced to reduce their working hours or take leave to care for their newborn.