Spain Boosts Paid Parental Leave to 19 Weeks

Spain’s leftist government on Tuesday approved a reform to extend paid parental leave from 16 to 19 weeks per parent, aiming to bolster family support and promote gender equality.

Under the new regulations, each parent will be entitled to 17 weeks of non-transferable paid leave during their child’s first year, with six of those weeks required immediately after birth or adoption.

An additional two weeks can be taken flexibly before the child turns eight.

Single-parent households, approximately 80% of which are headed by women, will be eligible for a total of 32 weeks of paid leave.

The labour ministry stated that this measure seeks to ensure employment doesn’t hinder family planning and marks a step towards more shared parenting responsibilities between men and women.

Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz affirmed, “Spain is moving toward feminism and equality,” expressing confidence that “there will be no turning back.”

The minority coalition government expects the reform to pass in parliament, bringing Spain into compliance with an existing European Union directive on parental leave.

The government also plans to further increase paid parental leave to 20 weeks per parent by the end of the current legislative term in 2027.