From the first of January next year maternity leave will last as it did so far, namely 105 days, but only the mother will be able to use it. Therefore some changes can be expected in the use of paternity leave. Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs Anja Kopač Mrak explained that they had decided to withdraw the provision which states that a father is obliged to use a 30 day parental leave, which is not transferable to the mother.

The provision was removed due to a negative public reaction as well as a lack of political will to adopt such a solution, the minister added. Paternity leave had to be changed in a different way, namely by extending the father’s paid leave. Instead of the current 15-day fully paid leave, fathers will be able to stay home for 30 days with a fully paid leave. Otherwise, both parents are jointly entitled to 260 days of parental leave.

A mother can transfer up to 100 days of parental leave to the father, while the father can pass all his 130 days of parental leave to the mother. According to the Minister, child benefits for single-parent families will rise from 10 percent to 30 percent of the current amount and it will not be considered as income.