Paternity Leave in Spain Increases to 12 Weeks

Paternity leave in SpainPaternity leave in Spain saw an increase this year as a result of RD-Law 6/2019 of Urgent Measures. The law guarantees equal treatment and opportunity between men and women in employment and occupation.

Effective dates – Beginning in 2020, male employees receive 12 weeks of paternity leave. In 2021, paternity leave increases to 16 weeks making it equal to what mothers currently receive.

Read these pages to learn more about employee benefits in Spain and employee perks in the country.

Stipulations for Paternity Leave in Spain

  • There is now a mandatory period of 4 uninterrupted weeks of paternity leave immediately after childbirth for both mother and father.
  • After that, the father can take the other 8 weeks continuously or interruptedly, by week and on full, or partial time arrangement during the child’s first year.

In the case of adoption

Each adoptive or foster parent receives 6 weeks of mandatory uninterrupted leave which they should take during the first 12 months after the child comes into their home. The law extends this leave on a voluntary basis for up to 16 weeks for each adoptive parent. Also, one parent can leave the other parent up to 6 weeks of their leave.

Taxation

Paternity leave paid by Social Security is exempt from the employee tax. This is already the case for social security’s maternity leave payments.

About Employee Benefits in Spain

Learn more about employee benefits in Spain, including average cost for employer sponsored benefits, on Spain’s country page.

 

Asinta’s employee benefits consulting Partner SARE, provided this article about paternity leave in Spain. If you would like to connect with them, please contact Asinta.