Maternity and parental leave

All pregnant women have the right to 4 weeks of leave before the birth and 14 weeks of maternity leave after the birth. Fathers and co-mothers have the right to 2 weeks of paternity leave, which they are to take out during the first 14 weeks after the birth of the child. After the first 14 weeks of maternity leave, each of the parents has the right to parental leave for 32 weeks. A father or- co-mother may begin the parental leave before the first 14 weeks after birth of the child.

All parents are entitled to extend their parental leave from 32 to 40 weeks. However, working parents may choose to extend their leave from 32 to 46 weeks. It is not possible to extend the leave by any number other than 8 or 14 weeks.

One of the parents is also entitled to postpone between 8 and 13 weeks of the parental leave to betaken before the child is 9 years old.

Finally, by mutual agreement between the employee and the employer it is possible to resume work and postpone or extend all or part of the 32 weeks of parental leave. The leave must be taken before the child is 9 years old. The parents cannot defer their leave if they have chosen to extend it.

For adoptive parents, the same rights apply in general as for biological parents.

Consolidation Act on Entitlement to Leave and Benefits in the Event of Childbirth.