Parental leave is a right recognized for employed parents, which allows them to abstain from work for a limited period of time to take care of their children. Parental leave is granted to parents, whether biological, adoptive, or foster, who are in an ongoing employment relationship, within the first 12 years of the child's life. The total period of parental leave, between both parents, cannot exceed 10 months, which can be increased to 11 if the working father abstains from work for a period, continuous or split, of at least 3 months. Periods of parental leave can also be taken by both parents at the same time. Within the above overall limits, the right to abstain from work is granted: to the employed mother for a continuous or split period, up to a maximum of six months to the employed father for a period, continuous or split, up to a maximum of six months, which can become seven in case of abstention from work for a period of at least three months to the employed father, even during the mother's mandatory leave period (starting from the day after childbirth) and even if she is not working to the single parent (father or mother) for a continuous or split period of up to 11 months (even if adoptive or foster) Law of December 24, 2012, no. 228 introduces the possibility of splitting parental leave by the hour, but refers this to collective bargaining. For periods of leave beyond the nine months indemnified, an allowance equal to 30% of the average daily wage is due, if the individual income of the requesting parent is less than 2.5 times the annual minimum pension amount. What changes for 2024? The 2024 Budget Law states that parents, as an alternative to each other, for a duration of two months (up to the child's sixth year of life), may take parental leave indemnified at 80% of the monthly salary. For the remaining months, the allowance is 30%. Only for workers who finish the maternity leave period (or paternity leave) after December 31, 2023. From 2025 instead the allowance will be 80% for the first month and 60% for the second and 30% for the following months. What does our 2019-2021 Healthcare CCNL say about it? Art. 60 of the 2019-2022 CCNL regulates parental leave, in accordance with Legislative Decree no. 151 of 2001, with the specifications set out in this article. The worker, male or female, is entitled to full pay during maternity or paternity leave. The first 30 days of parental leave are paid in full and do not reduce vacation days. Employees may take an additional fully paid parental leave, for up to 30 days per year, until the child's third year of life. The application for parental leave must be submitted at least 5 days before the start date of the period of absence from work. In case of particular and proven personal situations, the application can be submitted within 48 hours before the start of the period of absence from work. The Healthcare CCNL strengthens the rights of working parents, but it is still behind compared to other OECD countries, where politics and unions are much more attentive to the problems of parents, children, and working mothers, especially single mothers. Another reason why Nursing Up asks for 51% representation in the RSU for all healthcare professionals, to achieve a change of course, desirable not only for citizens but also for healthcare professionals. LapaginadiNurisngUp Vincenzo Parisi
