Birthleave, partnerleave

Birthleave, partnerleave

The law entitles partners of new mothers to a working week off after childbirth. The number of leave hours equals the number of working hours per week. Are you the mother’s partner? Then you need to take up this leave within 28 days after the birth of the child.

In addition, you are entitled to 1 working week of birth leave under the UvA Regulations on Special Leave. You can take the leave immediately, or within 20 days after the date of the birth. A condition is that the work and organisational interests allow this. On the delivery date, you are entitled to emergency leave with full payment.

You take up the statutory birth leave, the birth leave according to the UvA regulations and the emergency leave in consultation with your supervisor.

Additional birth leave as of 1 July 2020From 1 July 2020 on, partners will be able to take a maximum of five weeks of ‘additional birth leave’ when their child is born, pursuant to the Additional Leave (Introduction) Act (WIEG: Wet Invoering Extra Geboorteverlof). The number of leave hours equals the number of working hours per week. The University of Amsterdam (UvA) and thus also UvA JobService having made the conscious decision to pay the entire salary during the birth leave.

The UvA has decided to encourage employees to take birth leave by paying out their full salary during birth leave. The UvA will only be reimbursed 70% (of the maximum daily wage) by the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV), and will thus be paying the remaining 30% itself. The UvA feels that the Additional Leave (Introduction) Act can make a positive contribution to a partner developing a bond with their newborn child. In addition, generous birth leave for partners increases women’s chances on the labour market, as there is less difference between the duration of the leave for both partners.

Who is the mother’s partner?Birth leave is for the mother’s partner. You are the mother’s partner:

  • if you’re married to her;
  • if you’re her registered partner;
  • if you’re unmarried to her;
  • if you acknowledge her child.

How to apply? If you are entitled to apply for one of these regulations. First of all you take up the statutory birth leave, the birth leave according to the UvA regulations and the emergency leave in consultation with your supervisor. Secondly send a request to UvA JobService. UvA JobService needs to send in the forms for additional birth leave to the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV).