In the Netherlands, amendments to the law have come into force, giving the right to five weeks of paid parental leave for young fathers. Not only future dads are satisfied, but also their employers: all costs are fully borne by the state budget.
Under the new scheme, in addition to five days of fully paid leave, partners can receive an additional five weeks of leave in the first six months after the birth of a child. This leave will be partially paid - 70% of salary. And it will be paid for by the Workers' Insurance Agency (UWV); 65 million euros have already been reserved for this purpose. This should be enough for 36 thousand applications.
In recent years, parental leave rates for partners have increased almost every year. From January 1, 2019, both partners are fully paid for maternity leave of five working days. From July 1, 2020, an additional 5 weeks have been added to it with 70% payment. And from August 1, 2022, both parents will be given nine weeks of partially paid leave. During these weeks, parents will receive an allowance equal to 50% of their salary.
Future Dutch dads react very positively to these changes and sincerely hope that such a long vacation will properly affect the first days of the child's life and the family as a whole. Indeed, studies show that fathers who study and spend more time with their children are in better psychological and physical shape and also establish a closer connection with the child from the first moments of his life, which subsequently has a positive effect on his emotional development.
More on how to request extra leave HERE
Publication Date: 15.07.2020
