Paternity leave doubles next week

PATERNITY leave in Spain will double to four weeks as of New Year’s Day. The move, one of the conditions set by the Ciudadanos party for supporting the Partido Popular administration of Mariano Rajoy, was approved at last Friday’s Cabinet meeting.

However, campaigners say that the time that new fathers can take off after the arrival of a new baby should be the same as the 16 weeks to which new mums are entitled.

The Law of Equality dating from 2007 allowed for paternity leave to be increased, and education minister Íñigo Méndez de Vigo says the government now feels the new measure is necessary to achieve a “work-family life balance”.

However, the Association for Equal and Non-Transferrable Birth and Adoption Leave (PPIINA) points out that the increase in the duration of paternity leave puts it at a level that is still just a quarter of maternity leave.

The group adds that it is compulsory that the four weeks that new dads can take off work be taken in one block, meaning it cannot be taken to cover childcare after the mother returns to work.

“The new measures are insufficient,” says the PPIINA, “as they do not provide for taking turns in caring for the new baby or adopted child.” This, it continues, leaves mothers to try to extend their maternity leave, so penalising them in their jobs and in the employment market.

The group also points out that single fathers and all-male couples have just four weeks leave, after which they have to find alternative care arrangements. This can pose problems because most nurseries only accept babies at least six months old.