If there are risks at work that could jeopardise the employee’s health and safety and/or the pregnancy, such employee is entitled to special maternity leave as long as the risk exists.

Both male and female workers who have been at least 12 months in continuous service with their employer have the individual right to be granted unpaid parental leave on the grounds of birth, adoption, fostering or legal custody of a child to enable them to take care of that child for a period of four months until the child has attained the age of eight years.

The employee’s balance of parental leave is transferred to the new employment. The employee is not entitled to a fresh parental leave entitlement.

Parents in employment shall be entitled to uninterrupted adoption leave of 18 weeks, 14 weeks of which are to be paid with full wages. The employee may apply for benefits from the Department of Social Security for the last 4 weeks which are not paid by the employer.

If both persons are in employment, then the 18 weeks can be split as agreed in writing by the parents. If only one person is in employment, then the 18 weeks may be enjoyed by that parent. The same applies to a single parent.

Adoption leave may be taken whenever a child is adopted and shall start from the date when the child passes into the care and custody of adoptive parent or parents.