Must paternity leave be taken right after the birth?
It must not — and that is good news for new fathers. A child's father is entitled to 10 working days of leave connected with the birth. It may begin immediately after the birth or later — but it must be granted within six months of the birth. The benefit: the state pays 80% of your average insured wage. The condition: social insurance for at least three months in the previous six, or six months in the previous 24. Beware old sources: the rule used to be 10 calendar days and a two-month deadline — it is now working days and six months.
📋 The rules
- The father is entitled to 10 working days
- It may be taken immediately or later
- But no later than six months after the birth
- The benefit: 80% of the insured wage
- Contributions: 3 of 6 or 6 of 24 months
🔓 Exceptions
- Where paternity is not established or the father has died, another person may take the leave at the mother's request
- One parent adopting a child from out-of-family care gets a corresponding 10-day leave
- With twins, the benefit may be paid for 10 working days per child
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There is no penalty for taking it later — but the deadline is absolute. The employer grants the leave, while the state agency awards and pays the benefit. Wait longer than six months and you lose the statutory route to this birth-related leave — and it cannot be recovered. And there is a trap for those with several employers. Since 1 July 2024 the benefit is paid only for the first 10 days of leave. The calculation takes in insured income from all employers, but a later separate 10-day period with a second employer does not create a second benefit.
📎 Official sources
- likumi.lv · Labour Law →
- likumi.lv · Maternity and Sickness Insurance Law →
- VSAA · Paternity benefit →
❓ Frequently asked
Must it start right after the birth?
It need not. The leave may begin immediately after the birth or later, but the employer must grant it no later than six months after the child was born.
How many days are there?
Ten working days. Older sources refer to 10 calendar days and a two-month deadline — that was the previous rule and no longer reflects the current entitlement.
How much is the benefit?
The state pays 80% of your average social-insurance contribution wage. You need insurance for at least three months in the previous six, or six months in the previous 24.
What if I have two employers?
The benefit is paid for the first 10 days of leave only. The calculation includes income from all employers, but a later period with a second employer does not create a second benefit.
What happens with twins?
If the employer grants 10 working days for each child, the state agency may pay the benefit for 10 working days per child, rather than a single combined period.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can paternity leave be taken later latvia”
- “paternity leave 10 working days latvia”
- “fathers leave after birth latvia”
- “paternity benefit 80 percent latvia”
- “paternity leave six months latvia”
- “paternity benefit two employers latvia”