From January 1, 2012, all fathers who want to help their partner care for their baby while on maternity leave, can take a two-week leave.
The leave can be used by every dad whose child is under 1 year old. Its duration is 14 calendar days. It includes Saturdays, Sundays and other non-working days.
The leave cannot be divided into parts, e.g. use of 7 days off twice. It is not longer when the twins are born. Fathers adopting a child are also en titled to leave, as long as they are under 7 years of age. In the case of a child whose compulsory education has been postponed, the border is moved until the child reaches the age of 10.
During the leave, a man has similar privileges as a woman on maternity leave, e.g. she is legally protected against dismissal. The application for paternity leave must be submitted at least 7 days before its commencement. Paternity leave is associated with the possibility of receiving maternity allowance.
To be able to apply for it, please present to ZUS:
- shortened copy of the child's birth certificate or a court decision on its adoption
- certificate from the employer that the employee has been granted paternity leave (the period of leave must also be specified)
- statement that the maternity allowance for the period of paternity leave has not yet been drawn, e.g. for a different title
- certificate of the contribution payer on the ZUS Z-3 form (if the insured person is an employee).