Birth leave
As a partner, you are entitled to birth leave if your wife or partner has given birth. It doesn't matter whether you work full-time or part-time. Birth leave is also known as maternity leave, partner leave or paternity leave. We have listed the most frequently asked questions for you.
Employees can also take leave if their partner gives birth. There are three types:
- One week of birth leave, to be taken within 4 weeks of the date of delivery
- Five weeks of additional birth leave in the first 6 months of a baby
- Nine weeks of paid parental leave (is new and will be effective from August 2, 2022).
Birth leave is for the mother's partner. Usually this is the father of the newborn child. You are the partner of the mother if you are married to her, are her registered partner, live with her unmarried or if you acknowledge her child.
As a partner you are entitled to a number of days of paid birth leave after the birth. It concerns once the weekly working time (1 week). These days off must be taken within four weeks of the birth. The employer continues to pay 100% wages.
Since 1 July 2020, partners can take a maximum of 5 weeks (5 times the number of working hours per week) of additional birth leave. During the leave, the partner does not receive a salary, but a benefit from the UWV. Partners must take the additional birth leave within 6 months of the birth of the child. And they must first have taken the birth leave of 1 week.
During the additional birth leave, the UWV pays 70% of the wage and at least the statutory minimum wage.
The parental leave scheme will be extended from August 2022 with 9 weeks (of the 26 weeks of parental leave), which will be partly paid. See the knowledge card "parental leave" for more details. The weeks of leave must be taken in the child's first year of life. The continued payment of wages is made by the UWV and amounts to 70% of the most recently earned wage.
You must report this to your employer at least 4 weeks before you want to start the additional birth leave. You do this by letter or e-mail. Are you unable to apply for additional birth leave in time, for example because your child is born prematurely? Report the additional leave to your employer as soon as possible.
Yes, you can take your remaining parental leave to a new employer. The (new) employer can ask whether you have already taken parental leave with a previous employer. That is why you ask your previous employer for a statement showing how much parental leave you are still entitled to. Employers are obliged to issue this statement on request.
In the application for additional birth leave you state:
- When you want to take leave. You can let this depend on the date of your partner's delivery, your partner's maternity leave or your 1 week birth leave.
- How many whole weeks you want to request leave: 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 weeks.
- Over how many weeks you want to spread this leave. For example, you can take 1 week (5 working days) of leave, but you can also spread these 5 working days over 5 weeks.