Parental leave

Parental leave is a type of employment benefit available in almost all countries that provides paid or unpaid time off work to care for a child or make arrangements for the child's welfare. The term "parental leave" may include maternity leave, paternity leave, and adoption leave.

Overview

Parental leave policies vary greatly from country to country, with factors such as the length of leave, pay during leave, and the ability to share leave between parents differing significantly. The International Labour Organization has set standards for parental leave, but not all countries meet these standards.

Types of Parental Leave

Maternity Leave

Maternity leave is the period of time that a new mother takes off from work following the birth of her baby. It is often combined with a period of sick leave, which may start before the baby is born.

Paternity Leave

Paternity leave is the time a father takes off work at the birth or adoption of a child. This kind of leave is rarely paid and is at the discretion of the employer.

Adoption Leave

Adoption leave is the time a person takes off to care for an adopted child. It is similar to maternity or paternity leave but is available to both genders.

Benefits of Parental Leave

Parental leave has been shown to provide a range of benefits, both for the parent and the child. These include improved child health and development, increased parental involvement in child care, and improved work-life balance for parents.

Parental Leave Policies Around the World

Parental leave policies vary greatly from country to country. In some countries, such as Sweden, parents are entitled to 480 days of parental leave when a child is born or adopted. In other countries, such as the United States, there is no statutory entitlement to parental leave.

See Also

• Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
• Work-life balance
• Child care
• Parenting

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