Fathers should have one month of leave after the birth of their child, not just ten days, a petition says Photo: Shutterstock

Fathers should have one month of leave after the birth of their child, not just ten days, a petition says Photo: Shutterstock

With a debate to extend Luxembourg’s parental leave from six to nine months still pending in parliament, a petition is now calling for father’s leave to be increased from ten days to one month.

Fathers in Luxembourg currently receive 10 days off upon the birth of a child, with the leave recently as part of plans to transport an EU work-life balance directive into national law.

But a is now demanding that fathers receive one month off to support their partner during the first weeks of welcoming a new arrival into the family.

Having the father around for longer early after the birth would help fathers bond with their child, the petition author--a woman--says. It would also support women suffering from post-natal depression and establish a better balance of parenting and household tasks.

“This new norm of involved fatherhood aims for a generation of more committed fathers, a reduction in postpartum depression thanks to facilitating care for mothers, and a reduction in inequalities by increasing the involvement of fathers in parenting and household chores,” the document states.

The petition is open for signature for six weeks starting 1 July. If it collects more than 4,500 signatures during this time, it must be debated in parliament with lawmakers and members of the government. Anyone in Luxembourg aged 15 or over and with a social security number can submit or sign a petition.

Mothers receive two months of maternity leave prior to their due date and three months following birth. This is usually followed by either parent taking six months full-time or one year part-time parental leave. The other parent is also entitled to the same amount of parental leave, which can be divided into more flexible arrangements upon agreement with the employer, such as taking off one day a week or dividing the time into shorter breaks from work.

During this time, parents don’t receive their salary but a parental leave allowance from the state, which is calculated based on the number of hours worked and the income earned. For a full-time contract it is between €2,313 and €3,855 gross per month.

While the first parent must take their leave immediately following maternity or adoption leave, the second parent can take their parental leave until the sixth birthday of the child. The leave cannot be transferred between both parents.

A petition to extend the leave from six to nine months gained 5,098 valid signatures last month. A date for the debate in parliament hasn’t yet been set.