Longer paternity leave: what’s changing

Five months of paternity leave in Norway compared with just 11 days in France! In this area, France ranks very poorly.

The news is out! Paternity leave will be doubled from 1 July 2021. It will increase to 28 days.
No, you're not dreaming… Premiers Moments explains everything!

Why does it matter?

Longer paternity leave: what difference does it make?

Introduced in 2002 and paid by the French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie) according to the father’s salary, the current paternity leave lasts up to 11 days for a single birth and 18 days for a multiple birth. Of the 11 days, only 3 are compulsory in France, and only 7 fathers out of 10 currently take it, according to a study by the IGAS.

In recent months, many petitions have called for a review of paternity leave, considered too short to be effective. Extending it to 28 days is one more step towards equality between men and women. The aim is for "the father to be able to form a bond of attachment with his baby", the Élysée stresses. And also to lighten the load that still weighs too heavily on the shoulders of new mothers.
So, from 1 July 2021, paternity leave will be doubled.

A step forward for dads, but also for babies

For dads, leaving baby just as they are starting to build a strong bond can be hard. Some new dads find going back to work after their child is born heartbreaking.
Longer paternity leave will give them valuable extra time. It will strengthen their awareness of becoming a father and of the responsibilities that come with it.

What joy and pride to bond with your child from the very first days of life!

Likewise, longer paternity leave will allow dad to be more present for the newborn and to interact with them more, which is essential for their healthy development.

It will let him spend precious moments with his little one, and that is priceless!

A big step forward for gender equality

Longer paternity leave is a long-standing demand, which would help restore the balance between men and women and better help women recover from giving birth, with the support of their partner.

Longer paternity leave has an impact on the balance of family life. According to an OECD report, a dad who is more present after the birth naturally gets more involved in the new tasks that come with the arrival of a newborn. A Norwegian study has even shown that a dad who is more present also does more of the housework. So the dad’s presence also has an extremely positive effect on the couple’s balance and on the fair sharing of household chores.

What’s more, the difference in the length of leave between men and women is one of the main sources of discrimination against women in hiring. A Swiss study shows that extending parental leave helps to boost women’s employment.

What do I need to know before my paternity leave?

The days are going by and you still don't know how to go about getting it…?

First of all, paternity leave is granted to every employee and to jobseekers. You must inform your employer at least 1 month before the chosen date, whether or not you are the child's father.

You are already entitled to 3 days of authorised absence. After that, it is up to you to choose whether or not to follow on with your paternity leave.
It is worth knowing that the leave cannot be split up and you do not have to take all the days. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are included.
These days must be taken within the 4 months following the birth, otherwise they are lost (except for the following reasons: your child's hospitalisation, a stillbirth or the death of the mother).

So don't be afraid to ask your boss for paternity leave, because they cannot refuse it.

In conclusion, the longer paternity leave proposed by the government is a benefit for equality between men and women, for the couple’s balance and for you, dads-to-be. We can only encourage you to make the most of it!

Dylan
Proud dad of three little ones and founder of Premiers Moments. Together with the whole team, I share our parenting tips here to support you, from pregnancy through your child's first years.