Paternity leave: bill aims to bring the private and public sectors into line

Legislative Bill No. 25,049 proposes amending Article 95(b) of the Labour Code to reform the paternity leave scheme in the private sector.

There is currently a significant difference: public-sector workers are entitled to one month’s paid paternity leave (under the Framework Law on Public Employment), whilst in the private sector the scheme is limited to eight days spread over the first four weeks following the birth.

The bill proposes to bring both schemes into line, extending paternity leave in the private sector to one calendar month on full pay, to be taken in two periods of fifteen days: one in the first month and the other in the second month following the birth.

The reform aims to promote shared responsibility for childcare and encourage more active involvement by fathers in the early stages of parenting.

Current status: The bill has already received a majority vote in favour, reflecting a growing consensus on the need for this reform. If approved, it would mark a significant change for private-sector companies in terms of planning for staff absences.