Search
Close this search box.

Longer parental leave agreed by EU ministers















Longer parental leave agreed by EU ministers




EU ministers have
approved an amended Parental Leave Directive following the adoption of the
Framework Agreement on improved parental leave rights, signed by the European
social partners earlier this year which will provide a range of increased
entitlements, including a minimum of four months’ leave as opposed to the
current three months.

Following the
adoption of a Framework Agreement on parental leave by the European social
partners (BUSINESSEUROPE, ETUC, CEEP and UEAPME) in June this year, EU
ministers have approved the Amended Parental Leave Directive which contains all
the improved rights agreed by the Social Partners. The main changes in the new,
amended Directive are:

  •        Each parent will be able to take four
    months off per child (previously three months). The extra month cannot be
    transferred from one parent to the other, thereby encouraging fathers to take
    their leave.
  •        An employee applying for or taking
    parental leave will be protected from any less favourable treatment for doing
    so.
  •        Employees returning from parental leave
    will have the right to request changes to their working hours for a limited
    period.

The new Directive
will be formally adopted in the coming months. Member States will then have two
years to transpose the new rights into national law.



The improved right to
4 months’ leave will require an amendment to UK legislation since leave for a
parent of a child who is not disabled is 13 weeks (those with a child entitled
to receive disability living allowance are entitled to 18 weeks). 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more

Latest News

Read More

Rise in recruitment fraud must urgently be checked

28 March 2024

Newsletter

Receive the latest HR news and strategic content

Please note, as per the GDPR Legislation, we need to ensure you are ‘Opted In’ to receive updates from ‘theHRDIRECTOR’. We will NEVER sell, rent, share or give away your data to third parties. We only use it to send information about our products and updates within the HR space To see our Privacy Policy – click here

Latest HR Jobs

University of Warwick – WMGSalary: £23,144 to £25,138 per annum This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and

The Open University – People ServicesSalary: £57,696 to £64,914 + up to £8,000 per annum MRP supplement* This provides summary information and comment on the

Cardiff UniversitySalary: Competitive This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information

University of Oxford – Oxford Department of International DevelopmentSalary: £28,759 to £33,966 (Grade 5) This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered.

Read the latest digital issue of theHRDIRECTOR for FREE

Read the latest digital issue of theHRDIRECTOR for FREE