EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL : MINISTERS APPROVE EXTENSION OF PARENTAL LEAVE.

PositionBrief article

The Employment and Social Affairs Council of 8 March adopted, without debate, a directive on parental leave, which principally increases from three to four months the duration of leave to which each new working parent is entitled. In order to encourage a more equal use of parental leave by both parents, at least one of the four months of leave must be granted in a non-transferable manner. For example, a woman has the right to three months' parental leave after having given birth or adopted, while her partner will be able to benefit from the fourth month of parental leave. If it is not taken, it will be lost.

This directive transposes a framework agreement concluded by the social partners (BusinessEurope, UEAPME, CEEP and ETUC) in June 2009, drawn up in order to better reconcile professional and family life and promote equality between men and women in the labour market. Member states can nevertheless apply or adopt more favourable provisions than those set out in the framework agreement.

Among other changes...

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