The proposal to review labor legislation presented by the Government promises to substantially change the parental leave regime in Portugal. According to Correio da Manhã, the Executive wants parents to be able to receive six months paid at 100%, a novelty that represents a significant increase compared to the current model. But the benefit does not come alone: to access the full amount, it will be mandatory to comply with new sharing rules that are already generating debate.
At the heart of the change is the Government’s intention to reinforce the balanced division of care in the first half of a child’s life, whilst ensuring more robust compensation for families. However, the proposal also introduces limitations on the breastfeeding regime that have been contested by unions.
Six months paid at 100%, but only with equal split
According to Correio da Manhã, parental leave extended to 180 days will now be paid in full as long as parents share equally the additional 60 days that follow the 120 days of mandatory leave. Currently, those who opt for six months receive only 83% of the remuneration, regardless of whether the leave is shared or not. The change aims to encourage co-responsibility, but imposes a new requirement that not all households will be able to comply with.
Compensation will continue to be paid by Social Security, based on wages received in the six months prior to the start of the leave, excluding holiday and Christmas bonuses. According to the same publication, the formula does not change, only the final value.
Mandatory father’s leave doubles
Another relevant change concerns the mandatory period for parents. The Government wants to double the number of consecutive days that the father has to stay at home immediately after the birth of the baby, from the current seven to 14 days. The measure, according to Correio da Manhã, seeks to reinforce paternal presence at a time considered critical for family balance.
Breastfeeding rules generate greater controversy
The most contested point in the draft concerns the breastfeeding regime. The new proposal establishes a maximum limit of two years for reducing breastfeeding hours, also requiring the presentation of a medical certificate when the child turns one year old and again at 18 months. According to the publication, these standards were maintained by the Government despite the criticisms presented in the dialogue with the UGT.
The rule that made it difficult for parents with young children to refuse night or weekend work ended up being dropped in the most recent version of the document, after strong union opposition.
Strikes anticipate tense climate
Last Friday, there was a kind of general rehearsal for the strike scheduled for December 11th. According to Correio da Manhã, the strike called by the National Federation of Independent Public Administration Unions registered high support in the Health and Education sectors, especially in the North. The labor package continues to be one of the main points of contention between the Government and union structures.
When do these changes come into effect?
There is no set date yet. The proposal remains in the negotiation phase in the Social Concertation and, only after completion, will it go to Parliament for subsequent promulgation. The expectation is that the process will only progress next year, as the UGT asked for more time to discuss the document and Minister Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho agreed to extend the talks.
Until then, all current rules remain in force, but the debate about future parental leave promises to remain lively.
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