PARENTAL LEAVE AND CARERS LEAVE: INTERNATIONAL PROVISION AND RESEARCH
Appendix 5: Summary of carers leave provisions
|
Leave for sick children |
Longer leave for childcare or career break |
Leave to care for others; see Appendix 7 for details |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | √√√ | x | x |
| Austria | √√√ |
x Available in some employer agreements, unpaid |
6 mths, √√ where hardship |
| Belgium | √ | 1 year (up to 5 via collective agreements) available via time-credit system with restricted eligibility, pay various | √√ 10 days for urgent family care; 1-12 mths (or 24 mths PT) in blocks of 1-3 mths to care for terminally ill family, plus 1-2 mths for palliative care; all √√ |
|
Canada Quebec |
√ [+] √ [+] |
x x |
√ -BC, NB and Q: 3-5 days; √√ - 9 jurisd. 8 wks (paid for 6) |
| Czech Rep. | √√√ | x | √√ (9 days at a time but no limit on frequency) |
| Denmark | x | x | √√ (duration unclear) |
| Estonia | √√√ | x | x |
| Finland | x | Home-care leave, paid √√ (all parents) until child is 3, then 'Partial care leave' available until child is 8; paid √√ | √√ (2-4 days at a time) for children; - for others |
| France | √ [+] | x | √√ (up to 1 year) |
| Germany | √√√ | x | - |
| Greece | √ [+] | 3.75 months via flexible working arrangements, paid √√√ | x |
| Hungary | √√√ | Extended leave until child is 8, paid √√ | - |
| Iceland | x | 3 mths per parent per year until child is 8, unpaid | x |
| Ireland | √√√ [+] | x | √√ or √ (max 65 wks) |
| Italy | √ | x | - |
| Netherlands | √√√ [+] | x | √√√ (10 days) |
| Norway | √√√ [+] | 1 year following Parental leave for each parent, paid √√ if child not FT at public care, or for PT attendance payment reduced | - |
| Portugal | √√√ [+] | 2 years special leave extendable to 3 years if 3 or 4 children and presence of disability; unpaid. Right to return to work only - other empl. rights suspended | √ (15 days p.a.) |
| Slovenia | √√√ [+] | x | √√√ (up to 6 mths) |
| Spain | √√√ | x | √ (1 year) |
| Sweden | √√√ | 3 - 12 mths, more stringent eligibility; Paid √√ | - |
| UK | √ | x | √ (a few days) |
| USA | x (FMLA only) | x (FMLA only) | x (FMLA only) |
Source: data selected from Table 1 in Moss and O'Brien (2006) and country notes on Austria from Deven and Moss (2005)
Key:
- means no information available;
x - no statutory entitlement;
√ - statutory entitlement but unpaid;
√√ - statutory entitlement, paid either at low flat rate or earnings-related at less than 50 percent of earnings or not universal or for less than the full period of leave;
√√√ - statutory entitlement, paid to all parents at more than 50% or earnings (in most cases up to a ceiling).