Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

On 24 July 2015 the Polish Parliament adopted amendments to the Labour Act, thereby making the rules of maternal/paternal/parent leave clearer and more flexible. These amendments make it easier for parents to share leave and combine it with part-time work. New solutions will come into force in January 2016. The main reason for the intense interest in this law is the reduced fertility in Poland.

According to the current law, mothers have the right to 26 weeks of leave, with 6 weeks transferable to the father. Upon the expiry of maternal leave, both parents have the right to another 26 weeks in three parts at most. In total, mothers have the right to 52 weeks, and fathers to 40 weeks, if using the leave instead of the mother. The law was mostly criticized due to its complexity and ambiguity, another reason for the amendments.

The amendments to the law include the following: connecting maternal with parental leave, option of using paternal leave until the child is 2 years of age and part of parental leave until the child is six years of age, in four parts at most, proportional extension of parental leave if combined with part-time work, fewer limitations in the exchange of leave among parents, as well as increased flexibility in taking leave to care for the child.

Source: ec.europa.eu