NederlandsGood news about partner leave. As of 1 July 2020, partners can take a maximum of 5 weeks of additional birth leave. This is a significant expansion compared to the current scheme.
In 2019, the leave of salaried partners was already extended from two days to once the number of working hours per week, whereby the wages are continued to be paid by the employer. In the new situation as of 1 July, the partner will receive a benefit from the UWV amounting to 70% of the daily wage with a maximum of 70% of the maximum daily wage.
What are the rules?
The extra leave must be taken within six months. It does not have to be recorded consecutively. There are also a number of conditions:
- The child must be born on or after 1 July 2020.
- the partner must have taken a week off in the first four weeks after the birth.
- The leave must be requested from the employer at least one month in advance. Een exception to this is premature birth, then this may not be feasible.
culture shift
From two days off to five weeks off... that's quite a change. The two-day arrangement is based on the situation where the mother cares and a father works. In 50% of cases of heterosexual couples, mothers start working less after the birth of their first child. For fathers, that percentage is only 9%. Een longer partner leave can stimulate a cultural change; it makes mothers less dependent. Een of the goals behind this amendment to the law is therefore to improve the position of women in the labor market.
What does extended partner leave mean for employers?
A critical voice about the extension of partner leave has to do with continuity at employers. If several employees take additional leave at the same time, a company may be faced with a staff shortage. If there is a compelling business interest, an employer can object. Of course it is always good to anticipate this by discussing their wishes regarding partner leave with employees in good time.
Do you want more information? Please get in touch with your contact person at Actief Werkt!