that provides paid or
unpaid time off work to care for a child or make arrangements for
the child's welfare. Often, the term parental leave includes
leave. Often the minimum benefits are stipulated by law.
In most western countries parental leave is available for those who
have worked for their current employer for a certain period of
time. National legislations vary widely as it is a matter of
politics to decide the appropriate type of parental leave
legislation.
Critics put forward that parental leave benefits may hurt
businesses, in particular smaller ones, and may lead to employer
discrimination of people they fear will make use of the parental
leave benefits, in particular women.
Sometimes companies voluntarily provide parental leave benefits
that go beyond those required by law, presumably as a way of
bolstering their attractiveness to potential recruits.
When entries are not listed in the subsection tables, it may be
because they are unknown and not that they do not exist.
This is in addition to 15 weeks maternity leave. In most
situations, a combination of maternity and parental benefits can be
received up to a combined maximum of 50 weeks. In Canada maternity
and parental leave is paid for by the
system.
One organization supporting paid maternity
leave in the United States is Moms Rising and the National
Partnership for Women & Families is also an organization that
strongly supports paid family & medical leave . Additional
information about family leave policies and movements within the
United States isavailable at
. It is doing so by appealing to
each state legislature individually to obtain maternity leave in
that state. The
is also a leader in
the campaign for national paid leave policy and publishes often on
the subject.
| Country |
Paid maternity leave |
Paid paternity leave |
Unpaid maternity leave |
Unpaid paternity leave |
Restrictions |
Antigua /Barbuda |
13 weeks 60% |
|
|
|
|
Argentina |
90 days 100% |
Two days |
|
|
Aruba |
12 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Bahamas |
13 weeks 60% |
One week family-related leave |
|
|
Paid maternity leave may only be taken once every 36
months |
Barbados |
12 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Belize |
12 weeks 80% |
|
|
|
|
Bolivia |
12 weeks 100% of national min. wage + 70% of wages above min.
wage |
|
|
|
|
Brazil |
120 days 100%, salary partially tax-deductible for
employers |
5 days (Article 10, Paragraph 1, of Temporary Constitutional
Provisions Act of Brazilian Constitution)[68959] |
|
|
|
Canada |
55% up to $447/week for 50 weeks (15 weeks maternity + 35 weeks
parental leave shared with father) Service Canada |
55% up to $447/week for 35 weeks parental leave (shared with
mother) Service Canada |
2 weeksQuebec, 70% up to $834.61/week for 25 weeks, then 55% up
to $655.76/week for 25 weeks. As with the federal plan, there are
32 weeks of parental leave that can be shared with father. In
addition, fathers are eligible for 5 weeks paid leave at a rate of
up to 70% of their income or 3 weeks paid leave at a rate of 75% of
their income. |
|
|
Chile |
18 weeks 100% |
Article 66 indicates 1 day paid; Law N° 20.047 (2005) increased
paternity leave to 4 days paid leave. (edward gonzalez-acosta, The
New School) |
|
|
|
Colombia |
12 weeks 100% |
Law 755 (2002) appended a paragraph to Article 236 of the Labor
Code to indicate that fathers have a leave of 4–8 days. (edward
gonzalez-acosta, The New School) |
|
|
|
Costa
Rica |
4 months 100% |
|
|
|
|
Cuba |
18 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Dominica |
12 weeks 60% |
|
|
|
|
Dominican Republic |
12 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Ecuador |
12 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
El Salvador |
12 weeks 75% |
|
|
|
|
Grenada |
3 months 100% (2 months), 60% for 3rd month |
|
|
|
|
Guatemala |
84 days 100% |
Two days at birth of child |
|
|
|
Guyana |
13 weeks 70% |
|
|
|
|
Haiti |
12 weeks 100% for 6 weeks |
|
|
|
|
Honduras |
10 weeks 100% for 84 days |
|
|
|
|
Jamaica |
12 weeks 100% for 8 weeks |
|
|
|
|
Mexico |
12 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Nicaragua |
12 weeks 60% |
|
|
|
|
Panama |
14 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Paraguay |
12 weeks 50% for 9 weeks |
Two days |
|
|
|
Peru |
90 days 100% |
|
|
|
|
Saint Lucia |
3 months 65% |
|
|
|
|
Trinidad /Tobago |
13 weeks 60%-100% |
|
|
|
|
United
States |
0 weeks |
0 weeks |
12 weeks |
12 weeks |
To be covered under FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act):
Must work for a covered employer (all public agencies; private
companies with 50 or more employees within 75 miles.)
Must have worked for covered employer for at least 12 months prior,
and at least 1250 hours in previous 12 months. Other restrictions
apply. |
Uruguay |
12 weeks 100% |
Three days paternity leave for civil servants |
|
|
|
Venezuela |
18 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Australia will be introducing an 18 week paid maternity leave
scheme starting in 2011, once approved by parliament. It is to be
publicly funded, and to provide the federal minimum wage (currently
AUS $543.78 a week) rather than a percentage of the primary
caregiver's salary. It will not be available to families wherein
the primary caregiver has an annual salary above $150,000.
To encourage greater paternal involvement in child-rearing, a
minimum of 2 months out of the 16 is required to be used by the
"minority" parent, in practice usually the father, and some Swedish
argue for legislation to
oblige families to divide the 16 months equally between both
parents.
Fathers are entitled
to paid leave starting from the third month after birth (paid leave
is however available to only one parent at a time). The amount paid
depends on wages earned during previous calendar year - most will
receive 100% or full wage but there is an upper limit of three
times national average.
The employer is obliged to restore the mother to the
same position upon return to work. In addition, pregnant women and
single mothers cannot be fired.
Either mother or father can take the leave, or they can swap in
shifts. Additionally the father is provided one month of paternal
leave immediately after the child's birth.
A spouse or
partner of the woman (including same-sex relationships) may request
a two week paid (at a fixed rate) paternity leave. Both the mother
and her partner can additionally request non-paid parental leave,
which can be for up to 4 weeks annually, with a current limit of 13
weeks.
| Country |
Paid maternity leave |
Paid paternity leave |
Unpaid maternity leave |
Unpaid paternity leave |
Restrictions |
Albania |
1 year 80% before birth and 150 days, 50% for the rest |
|
|
|
|
Austria |
16 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Belarus |
126 days 100% |
|
|
|
|
Belgium |
15 weeks 82% for 30 days, 75%* thereafter |
10 day (3 days are compulsory) |
|
7 days but 82% paid out by health insurance fund |
|
Bulgaria |
1 year 100%; 2nd year at min salary |
father or a grandparent can take the maternity leave instead of
the mother |
6 months to be used until the child turns 8 |
6 months to be used until the child turns 8 |
|
Cyprus |
16 weeks 75% |
|
|
|
|
Czech Republic |
28 weeks (6-8 weeks before birth) ~70%; & parental leave up
to 2/3/4 years of age of the child (approx. 633/422/211$ a month).
Can be taken by either of the parents or by both at the same time
(but only one will receive the monetary support). |
|
|
|
Denmark |
52 weeks. 18 to be taken by the mother, 2 weeks by the father,
the rest as they see fit. |
|
|
|
Estonia |
140 days (100%), 154 days in the case of multiple birth or
medical complications |
14 days, expires after 6 months after child's birth |
3 years |
|
|
Finland |
105 days 80%, followed by share of 158 days with father |
18 days, can share 158 days with mother after maternity
leave |
Until child turns 3 |
Until child turns 3 |
|
France |
16 weeks (100%) rising to 26 weeks (100%) for third child |
3 days + 11 consecutive days |
Share of 104 weeks (2 years) with father |
Share of 104 weeks (2 years) with mother |
|
Germany |
14 weeks (100%) 6 before birth, 12/14 months (67%, but not more
than 1.800 Euro/month) (14 only for single mothers) |
12/14 months (67%, but not more than 1.800 Euro/month) (14 only
for single fathers) |
Share of 156 weeks (3 years) with father |
Share of 156 weeks (3 years) with mother |
Must have private health insurance for part of paid leave, rest
of paid leave paid by employer |
Greece |
119 days 100% |
|
|
|
|
Hungary |
24 weeks 100% |
Five days |
|
|
|
Iceland |
90 days 80% (based on total salary over a 12 month period
ending 6 months before the birth). Max. monthly payment for 2008:
Íkr535,700 (around €4,500, $6,500 at exchange rates in August
2008); min. monthly payment for 2008: Íkr103,869 (around €870,
$1,250)+ 90 days to be shared freely between the
parents |
As for the mother |
13 weeks |
13 weeks |
Parents must have been working for a period of 6 months prior
to taking the leave. Parental leave can be taken at any time during
the first 18 months of the baby's life. |
Ireland |
26 weeks (6½ months) |
0 |
16 (4 months) weeks that can be shared with father |
16 (4 months) weeks that can be shared with mother |
|
Italy |
22 weeks (5 months) (80%) 2 before birth |
13 weeks (3 months) (80%) |
Maximum 26 weeks (6 months) (total for both parents maximum 44
weeks (10 months)) |
Maximum 26 weeks (6 months) (total for both parents maximum 44
weeks (10 months)) |
For paid leave, job contract must include social contributions
(INPS) |
Latvia |
112 days, 100% |
10 calendar days |
|
|
|
Liechtenstein |
8 weeks 80% |
|
|
|
|
Lithuania |
52 weeks 100% + 52 weeks 85% (either mother or father can take
it or take the leave in shifts) |
1 month |
|
|
|
Luxembourg |
16 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Malta |
15 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Netherlands |
16 weeks 100% |
2 days 100% |
26 weeks |
26 weeks |
Unpaid leave for children under 8. For unpaid leave you have to
have worked for an employer for over 1 year. The government gives
all parents that use unpaid parental leave, through tax breaks, 50%
of the national minimum wage. Employers have the possibility to
provide a payment on their own discretion. Payment for parental
leave can also be set at the collective labour agreements. |
Norway |
54 weeks (12.5 months) (80%) or 44 weeks (10 months) (100%) -
mother must take at least 3 weeks immediately before birth and 6
weeks immediately after birth, father must take at least 6 weeks -
the rest can be shared between mother and father. |
Entirely dependent upon the mother qualifying for paid
maternity leave irrespective of Father's own paid national
insurance contributions. 45 weeks (10.5 months) (80%) or 35 weeks
(8 months) (100%) shared with mother - father must take a minimum
of 6 weeks or else these weeks are lost as paid leave. |
Each parent can also take an extra full year of unpaid leave
after the paid period ends |
Two weeks after birth (many fathers are paid for these weeks by
their employers) plus right to take up to one year unpaid
leave |
To gain the right of paid leave, the Mother must have worked
for 6 of the last 10 months before birth, or the leave is unpaid
(except for a lump sum benefit from the government) |
Poland |
16–18 weeks 100% |
|
|
|
|
Portugal |
120 days 100% or 150 days 80% |
15 days 100% |
Five days plus two weeks. |
|
Of the maternity leave, 6 weeks is compulsory. The father may
take the rest of the time the mother would have been entitled
to. |
Romania |
126 days (42 compulsory to be taken after birth)- paid 100% + 2
years (3 for a disabilitated baby)(85%, but not lower than 600 RON
and not more than 4000 RON) |
Five days plus 10 more days if the father has taken a child
care course (these 10 days are given only once, so not for every
child). All 15 days must be taken within the first 8 weeks since
the birth of the baby. |
|
|
Must have worked 12 months in the previous year. |
Russia |
140-194 days (before birth: 70 days, or 84 days if multiple
pregnancy; after birth: 70 days, or 86 days in case of
complications, or 110 days if multiple birth) 100%;followed by: up
to 18 months after birth - 1,500-6,000 RUB for the first child,
3,000-6,000 RUB for any subsequent child, but not exceeding 100%
(could be shared with father, grandparents, guardians or actual
caregivers of the child). |
following the after-birth portion of maternity leave, up to 18
months after birth - 1,500-6,000 RUB a month for the first child,
3,000-6,000 RUB a month for any subsequent child, but not exceeding
100% (could be shared with father, grandparents, guardians or
actual caregivers of the child) |
up to 18 months (1.5–3 years after birth), could be shared with
father, grandparents, guardians or actual caregivers of the
child |
up to 18 months (1.5–3 years after birth), could be shared with
mother, grandparents, guardians or actual caregivers of the
child |
|
Slovenia |
12 months 100% |
11 days |
|
|
|
Spain |
16 weeks 100% |
15 days (in the next years 30 days), independently of the
mother. Up to 15 days of the mother's leave can be taken by the
father (if the father takes all 15 days, the mother only has 97
days to take off instead of the full 4 weeks (112 days)) |
Up to 3 years. |
|
2,500 € for every baby. 100 €/month for mother that worked. No
free public day-care center from 0
to 3 years old infants. |
Sweden |
480 days (16 months) (80% up to a ceiling the first 390 days,
90 days at flat rate) - shared with father (dedicated 60 days) |
480 days (16 months) (80% up to a ceiling the first 390 days,
90 days at flat rate) - shared with mother (dedicated 60 days) + 10
working days in connection with the child's birth |
The first 18 months (at maximum) individually, by postponing
the shared paid period. |
The first 18 months (at maximum) individually, by postponing
the shared paid period. |
|
Switzerland |
16 weeks (100%), 8 weeks mandatory |
None |
None |
None |
Pregnant women can't be fired |
Turkey |
16 weeks 66.7% |
Three days paternity leave in the public sector |
6 months |
|
|
Ukraine |
126 days 100% |
|
|
|
|
United Kingdom |
Currently 39 weeks paid, rising to 52 weeks paid from April
2010 (6 weeks at 90% of full pay and remainder at a flat rate (as
of 2009 = £123.06) or 90% of your salary if that is less than the
flat rate) |
2 weeks at a fixed amount (as of March 2009 = £123.06)
4 weeks per year (non-paid and a max of 13 weeks) via a Parental
leave request if they have at least one year's continuous
employment |
26 weeks (maternity or adoption) for total a of 52 weeks (paid
and non-paid)
4 weeks per year (non-paid and a max of 13 weeks) via a Parental
leave request if they have at least one year's continuous
employment |
None. Though note that a spouse or partner can request up to 4
weeks non-paid Parental leave annually (max 13 weeks) if they have
at least one year's continuous employment |
The person requesting Maternity/Adoption or Paternity leave
person must have worked for their current employer for at least 26
weeks before the 15th week before the due date (and received a
salary that is higher than a fixed minimum). They must give the
employer notice before the 15th week before the child is due. |
As international organizations are not subject to the legislation
of any country, they have their own internal legislation on
parental leave.
/Principe
. One organization supporting paid maternity
leave in the United States is Moms Rising and the National
Partnership for Women & Families is also an organization that
strongly supports paid family & medical leave . Additional
information about family leave policies and movements within the
United States isavailable at PaidFamilyLeave.org. It is doing so by appealing to
each state legislature individually to obtain maternity leave in
that state. The Center for Law and Social Policy is also a leader in
the campaign for national paid leave policy and publishes often on
the subject.
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