How much parental leave do I have?
Yes: parental leave is generous and paid by Social Security. The initial parental leave is 120 days at 100% or 150 days at 80% (Labour Code, art. 40). There's a sharing bonus: +30 days (total 150 days at 100%, or 180 at 83%) when each parent takes at least 30 consecutive days alone. The father has exclusive leave (art. 43) of 28 mandatory days at 100% (7 right after birth + 21 within the next 42 days), plus 7 optional days alongside the mother, also at 100%. For multiple births, +30 days per extra child. The subsidy is paid by Social Security. In short: yes, with strong protection for both parents.
📋 The rules
- Initial leave: 120 days at 100% or 150 at 80%
- Sharing bonus: +30 days → 150 days at 100%
- Father: 28 mandatory days at 100% (+7 optional)
- Multiple births: +30 days per extra child
- Subsidy paid by Social Security
🔓 Exceptions
- 100% for 6 months: only via the sharing route
- Minimum daily subsidy floor: indexed to the IAS
- 2025 "Work XXI" reform (more days): proposed, not enacted
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There's no "fine" for the worker — the leave is a right paid by Social Security. Denying the father his mandatory leave is a serious offence, enforced by the ACT, with fines scaling by company size. The parental subsidy has a minimum daily value indexed to the IAS (about €14/day in 2026, updated yearly). Beware myths: the "100% for 6 months" only holds via the sharing route (each parent 30 days alone); and Brazil's "paternity leave" is a different, shorter regime — don't cite gov.br. A 2025 reform (more father days and longer initial leave) was proposed but not enacted. To use your rights: arrange sharing with the other parent if you want 100%, and the father should take the 28 mandatory days within the right deadlines.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
How many days of initial parental leave do I have?
Initial parental leave is 120 days paid at 100% or 150 days paid at 80%, at your choice. If it's shared, with each parent taking at least 30 consecutive days alone, there's a 30-day bonus, rising to 150 days at 100% or 180 days at 83%.
How many days does the father have?
The father has exclusive leave of 28 mandatory days, paid at 100%: 7 days right after birth and the remaining 21 within the next 42 days. He also has 7 optional days, which he can take alongside the mother, also paid at 100%.
How do I get 100% for 6 months?
Only through sharing the leave. If each parent takes at least 30 consecutive exclusive days, the initial leave rises to 150 days paid at 100%. Without that sharing, the 120 days are at 100% or the 150 days at 80%. It's a myth that the 6 months at 100% are automatic.
Who pays the parental leave?
The parental subsidy is paid by Social Security, based on the reference earnings, not directly by the employer. There's a minimum daily value, indexed to the IAS. The worker must claim the subsidy from Social Security at the start of the leave.
What happens with multiple births?
For twins or more, the initial parental leave is increased by 30 days per child beyond the first. The father also has additional days. These rules ensure more bonding time when more than one child is born at once.
🔎 Common searches
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