Paid paternity leave to extend to 10 days in the Czech Republic

New EU rules want fathers to share the family burden — meaning paid paternity leave in the Czech Republic will be extended from seven to ten working days within the next three years, with fathers being compensated at the level of sick pay.

The new European directive on work-life balance stipulates that the Czech Republic and other EU member states must transpose and implement the change into law by the beginning of August 2022 at the latest.

According to the European Commission, women in the EU are losing EUR 370 billion (over CZK 9.55 trillion) annually due to lower employment among women. The directive is intended to contribute to the division of care between men and women and to the increased employment of mothers and caregivers in the labor market.

Frans Timmermans, the European Commission’s First Vice-President expressed hope that the rules will strengthen gender equality: “A fair and sustainable Europe means giving women and men the right to play an equal role at home and in the workplace,” said the Dutch politician on the legislative text that forces member states to set the payment or allowance for the minimum non-transferable period of parental leave at an adequate level.

As of February 2018, a seven-day paternity leave entitlement was introduced in the Czech Republic allowing fathers to claim up to 70% of their salary. Following that, an amendment to parental leave in the Czech Republic is set to boost benefits from 220,000 CZK to 300,000 CZK by the year 2020, with parents able to decide how the funds are disbursed over a period of four years.