Parental leave
It is not always easy to combine work and taking care of children. As a parent or caretaker, you therefore have the right to birth leave, parental, adoption or foster leave. Continue reading for a summary of the main terms and conditions.
Birth leave
If your wife or partner has given birth, you are entitled, as her partner, to birth leave. Nationwide agreements have been put in place for this. For more information, visit the website of the central government (Rijksoverheid).
Parental leave
You are eligible for parental leave until your child reaches the age of eight. This does not apply if such leave would be seriously detrimental to the interests of your employment or the institution, or if you have already taken parental leave with another employer. You are eligible for partial continued payment of your salary during this leave if you have been working at the university for one year or more.
Conditions
If you work at the university, you are entitled to continued payment of 62.5% of your salary for a 13-week period of parental leave, plus an additional 13 weeks of unpaid parental leave. Up to half of your weekly working hours can be used for parental leave. Your pension will continue to accrue during the hours of parental leave, and you will accrue statutory holiday hours. Article 4.13 to Article 4.20 of the CAO-NU outline all of the conditions applicable to parental leave.
Adoption and foster care leave
If you adopt a child or if you are caring for a foster child for a long period of time, you are entitled to six weeks’ leave. During this period you are not entitled to continued payment of salary, unless your employer has made additional provisions for this. Enquire after the specific terms and conditions at your university’s HR department.
Other options
If you wish to take more leave or leave for a longer period, you can discuss the options with your employer.
