One report proposes to increase all birth and paternity leave to four weeks. 12 days more than the current legal framework. Details.
Go from 11 days to two or three weeks. A report of the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Igas) recommends an extension of paternity leave, making it possible to bring all paternity and birth leave to four weeks . It was handed over to Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Tuesday 11th September, 2018.
“Start a rebalancing of the sharing of family tasks”
Currently, the duration of the child’s paternity and childcare leave is 11 consecutive calendar days (and 18 days for a multiple birth) and may take the place of the three-day birth holiday or be taken separately. According to Igas, an average of seven fathers on ten take all the authorized leaves.
“The report proposes to amplify the positive and lasting effects of leave, whether it be the construction of the bond between the father and the child, or to begin a rebalancing of the division of family tasks between women and men. . An extension of its duration would strengthen these benefits, secure the care of the mother and newborn in the early days of return home, and support professional equality.”
A shorter marriage leave?
Such a reform would entail an extra cost of 133 million euros for the National Family Allowance Fund (CNAF), in the three-week option, and 331 million for four weeks. Recall that France is already opposing a European directive which proposes longer parental leave and which would be better compensated than at present.
The report’s authors, Hervé Gosselin and Carole Lepine , suggest that “employers could pay for at least two additional days of birth leave”. In return, they could benefit from a reduction “in the number of days granted for marriage or Pacs, negotiated by collective agreement”.
“Nothing is arbitrated”
According to France Inter , the cabinet of the Secretary of State Marlene Schiappa, in charge of Equality between women and men, assures that the question of the extension of the paternity leave is “under study but nothing ‘is arbitrated’.
On BFMTV and RMC this Thursday, September 13, she said “favorable to the extension of paternity leave in a personal capacity” and wishes it to be extended by the end of the five-year period.
“Je suis favorable à un allongement du congé paternité de plusieurs semaines”, annonce Marlène Schiappa pic.twitter.com/InZD8vJhY7
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) 13 September 2018
