Paternity

Suspension of the employment contract due to paternity: Under this new rule* Parents will be entitled to suspend their employment contracts for 4 consecutive weeks (currently it is for 13 consecutive days). This is an additional right to maternity leave/shared parental leave.

In the event of childbirth, this right applies exclusively to the mother’s partner. In the case of adoption or fostering, this right shall only apply to one of the parents (to be decided by them).

*It was initially planned that this reform would come into force on January 1, 2016, but its effect has been delayed until January 1, 2017.
Action required: When the rules change employers will need to amend existing policies accordingly and notify staff.