Family credit: five additional days of birth leave
These five days are in addition to the existing birth leave. Your employee can take them all at once or spread them out during the child's first year of life.
This right is mainly for the father or co-parent, who can choose to transfer all or part of it to the mother. There is only one entitlement to these five days per child. When several people can use this right, they decide among themselves who will take the days.
In the case of multiples, the right is granted per child: for twins, this means ten days.
Read more: "David Clarinval introduces a family credit of 5 days per child | David Clarinval"
What about the existing birth leave?
The existing birth leave remains unchanged for now. Your employee is entitled to twenty days of birth leave when a child is born. These days can be taken all at once or spread out within four months from the day of delivery.
During the first three days, you as employer pay the full salary. For the following seventeen days, your employee does not receive salary from you but an allowance via the health insurance fund.
The family credit does not replace birth leave, but adds five extra leave days that can be taken during the child's first year of life.
How are these days compensated?
For each day of family credit, the beneficiary receives compensation. For employees and civil servants, this is linked to the gross salary; for self-employed persons, a flat-rate amount applies.
Does your employee already have the right to these extra days today?
No. The Council of Ministers has only provisionally approved a draft bill. The text is therefore not yet a final law and may still change. Your employee cannot claim the five extra days today based on this draft.
The amounts and practical details still need to be set by royal decree.
When will the measure enter into force?
The law will enter into force on a date to be determined in 2026. For children born before that date in 2026, the government will provide a transitional arrangement. The exact conditions and details still need to be developed.
What does Securex do for you?
We continue to monitor this matter for you. As soon as the family credit is final, you will read about it on Lex4You.
