News item | 08-03-2022 | 08:38
The government wants people to have more real choices in the combination of care and work. The cabinet therefore wants to increase the benefit for paid parental leave from 50 to 70 percent of the daily wage. This increase will apply from August 2. Today, Minister Van Gennip of Social Affairs and Employment will submit a proposal to the Senate and House of Representatives.
From 2 August this year, parents are entitled to nine weeks of paid parental leave. This is an important step because during this period parents can get used to the new situation and have time together to make conscious choices about the division between work and private life, for now and later. By increasing the benefit, the government is making it easier to take parental leave.
Minister Van Gennip: ‘With the higher percentage of 70 percent paid parental leave, we lower the threshold for taking it. This also helps young fathers to be more involved in their child’s growing up.’
Parents can request paid parental leave if the nine weeks are taken in the child’s first year of life. In total, parents are entitled to 26 weeks of parental leave in the first seven years of a child. If not all nine weeks of paid leave are taken in the first year, they can be added to the remaining 17 weeks of parental leave. These weeks are unpaid. As in the current situation, it remains possible for employers and employees to make additional agreements about this, for example in the collective labor agreement.
The increase in paid parental leave fits in with the broad agenda of the government to make the combination of work and care more attractive and to work on gender equality in the labor market. This includes combating wage differences, a more generous childcare scheme and working on better representation at the top in companies and the government. Yesterday, the Minister of Gennip also received a pregnancy and work guideline from the SER in this context.