Anyone in an employment relationship has the right to time off from work for the duration of the maternity, special maternity, paternity and parental allowance period. If you have the intention to take such a leave, you must notify your employer no later than two months prior to the starting date of the leave in question. The maternity allowance is provided for a total of 105 working days (including Saturdays). Once this period ends, Kela will pay a parental allowance to the child’s mother or father for a continued period of 158 working days. Check with your local family clinic, Kela and the relevant union for more information about your familyrelated rights. Child care leave An employee has the right to take a child care leave in order to care for a child until he or she reaches the age of three. The child care leave can be taken as one or two periods lasting a minimum of one month, unless the employee and employer agree otherwise. Only one parent at a time may take a child care leave. During the leave, Kela will pay that parent a child home care allowance. The child care leave can also be taken as a parttime leave (reduced working hours). The parents
can be simultaneously on a partial care leave while working part-time, but they must take turns at home caring for their child. Temporary child care leave An employee is also entitled to take a temporary child care leave for a maximum of four working days at a time in order to care for or arrange care for a sick child under the age of 10. Both parents may not, however, take a temporary child care leave at the same time. Absence for compelling family circumstances An employee is entitled to a temporary, unsalaried leave of absence from work, if his/her family is faced with an unexpected illness, accident or other compelling reason. No salary or wages are paid during this type of absence, unless otherwise agreed in the collective agreement or your personal employment contract. Study leave You are entitled to request a study leave once your full-time employment for the same employer has continued for a minimum of one year. No salary or wages are paid during the study leave. An employee on study leave is protected against arbitrary dismissal.
Time for work, time for life
Family leave
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