As revealed by CNN, the Left Party in Sweden proposed that paternity leave entitlement be extended from two months to three months. The government submitted this proposal last Thursday and there seems to be a high probability of it passing in Parliament. Sweden had previously extended it paternal leave entitlement from one month to two months 13 years ago.
The Left Party is in favour of introducing more individualised leave for new parents and more equally divided leave for new parents. In a report issued by Servies Radio in 2012, it was recorded that nearly a quarter of Swedish fathers opted to benefit from their paternity leave. The new proposal also seems to have been met with much positive interest and acclamation, particularly on social media platforms.
Currently in Malta, as of 2013, new mothers are entitled to 18 weeks of maternal leave with full pay. There is no specific entitlement for the fathers, other than one full day of paid leave on the day of birth of the child, however both parents are entitled to 4 months of unpaid leave to be taken in periods of one month each until the child turns eight.
In a study conducted by Pew Research Center in 2013, the results showed that Estonia offers almost 2 years of paid leave to parents, whereas in other European countries including Germany, France, Finland and Hungary, new mothers are entitled to a median of 13 months of protective leave. At present, Sweden offers 480 days of parental leave, 60 of which are reserved to the father.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
