It is the country in the world with the most generous parental leave. In Sweden, where parents now have the right to transfer a certain number of parental allowance days to their own parents or friends, a reform came into force on Monday 1 July allowing grandparents and third parties to be compensated for childcare. The measure is unanimously supported in the country.
2 min
With our correspondent in Stockholm, Carlotta Morteo
Since 1974, the Swedish regime of parental leavepaid by the State, continues to be expanded. No one, neither companies nor bosses, questions it: it is a fundamental right, part of our customs. Parents share a 16-month leave, 14 of which are paid at 80% of the salary.
Since in Swedendaycare centers only open their doors to children from the age of 1, the mother and father often have to share the leave the first year, more or less equally, knowing that each is obliged to take at least 3 of the 16 months of parental leave.
A reform for those who return to work earlier
But according to the figures, about one in two couples do not use all of the 480 days to which they are entitled. People with low salaries, in particular, consider that the loss of income is too great in the long term. They therefore return to work sooner, most often leaving the child with the grandparents, who look after them free of charge.
Today, with this new reform, they will be able to transfer part of their leave, 90 days in total, to grandpa or grandma – the law was designed for them. It is also possible to transfer it to a friend, provided that they do not have a job, do not receive unemployment benefit and are not studying. A measure of flexibility, to make life a little easier for families.
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