Parental leave in the United States is rather limited compared to many other countries as under the Family and Medical Leave Act, new parents may only get 12 weeks of unpaid leave.Â
16 Months to Share
In Sweden, parents get a generous 480 days of paid leave to split between them when a child is born or adopted and for the first 390 days, they receive about 80% of their salary.
The government pays the remaining 90 days at a flat rate & they specifically reserve at least 90 days for each parent. The goal is to encourage them both to take time off.
Better yet, parents may use this leave until the child turns eight so they have more flexibility in managing their time.
Longest Paid Leave
Estonia offers one of the world’s longest paid parental leaves as parents may take up to 140 days of fully paid maternity leave before & after birth. After that, parents can share up to 435 days (about 18 months) of paid parental leave and they receive a benefit equal to their average salary from the previous year.
They may even postpone this leave and use it anytime until the child turns three, giving new parents the ability to plan according to their needs.
Flexible Family Time
In Germany, new parents may take up to 14 months of paid parental leave and divide this between them—but each parent must take at least two months.
They get around 65% of their previous income during this time and parents may also choose to work part-time & extend the leave period. This is called “Elterngeld” (parental allowance) and they have this until the child turns eight.
Up to 14 Months Off
Japan allows each parent to take up to 12 months of parental leave until the child turns one year old and if daycare is unavailable, they may extend leave up to 14 months.
During this time, employees receive 67% of their salary for the first six months & 50% thereafter. If both parents take leave, they may overlap or stagger their time off in a way that gives new parents more freedom in their childcare arrangements.
Up to 59 Weeks Together
Norwegian parents have the choice between 49 weeks of leave at full pay or 59 weeks at 80% pay, although mothers must take three weeks before birth and six weeks after.
Fathers have 15 weeks reserved just for them and parents may share the remaining weeks between each of them as they wish. They also have the option to spread the leave over several years or combine it with part-time work so it’s a lot more customizable for them.
Standard or Extended Leave
In Canada, parents may choose standard parental benefits, which provide up to 40 weeks at 55% of average earnings or shared between parents (one parent can receive up to 35 weeks).
Alternatively, they may also choose extended benefits that offer up to 69 weeks at 33% of earnings, with a maximum of 61 weeks for one parent.
Such a system allows families to choose between higher benefits for a shorter period or lower benefits over a longer period.
Equal Leave for Both
Finland recently changed its parental leave system to now grant each parent 160 days of paid leave, totaling about 14 months between them.
Single parents may use both quotas for a total of 320 days while joint parents may transfer up to 63 days of their leave to the other parent or a designated caregiver.
They may also use this leave flexibly until the child turns two, which is great for accommodating different family situations.
A Full Year Together
Mothers in Denmark get 18 weeks of maternity leave with full pay while fathers are entitled to two weeks of paid paternity leave. After that, parents have 32 weeks of parental leave which they may share as they please.
They’re even able to extend it up to 46 weeks with reduced benefits, while employers & unions often give additional support. Some families are able to take up to a full year off together.
Paid and Unpaid Leave
Primary caregivers in Australia may take 18 weeks of paid parental leave at the national minimum wage and partners are eligible for two weeks of paid leave. They may also share up to 52 weeks of unpaid parental leave & are able to request an extra 12 months of unpaid leave from their employer.
Like in Denmark, many employers also offer additional paid leave on top of the government scheme to give families more options.
Shared Parental Leave
In the UK, mothers are able to take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave and the first six weeks paid at 90% of average earnings, the next 33 weeks at a lower statutory rate.
Fathers are entitled to two weeks of paternity leave and through Shared Parental Leave, parents may share up to 50 weeks of leave & up to 37 weeks of pay. They’re also able to take time off together or separately, depending on their preferences.
Support for Families
All mothers in France receive 16 weeks of paid maternity leave for the first child—six weeks before birth & ten weeks after—for the third child, this increases to 26 weeks.
Fathers receive 28 days of paid paternity leave (which includes seven compulsory days) and parents may take parental leave until the child turns three, although it’s unpaid.
Families with three or more children receive additional allowances and benefits from the government.
