DistantNews
Support us
Greece expands special maternity leave to include adoptive, surrogate, part-time, and seasonal workers
🇬🇷 Greece /Culture & Society

Greece expands special maternity leave to include adoptive, surrogate, part-time, and seasonal workers

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Greece is expanding its special maternity leave to cover more categories of beneficiaries, including adoptive and surrogate mothers.
  • The nine-month leave is paid at the minimum wage by DYPA and maintains insurance coverage for recipients.
  • The measure now includes part-time and seasonal workers, broadening access to the benefit.

Greece has broadened access to its special maternity leave, extending the nine-month benefit to a wider range of recipients. This updated policy, detailed in a recent ministerial decision, aims to better support families and children.

The new regulation extends the right to special maternity leave, lasting nine months, with benefits paid by DYPA based on the minimum wage.

— Margarita KardariExplaining the core provisions of the expanded maternity leave policy.

Previously available primarily to biological mothers, the special maternity protection leave now includes adoptive mothers and intended mothers in cases of surrogacy. The benefit covers the adoption of a child up to the age of 8. According to labor law expert Margarita Kardari, the leave is designed to address the needs of both the family and the child, rather than solely serving as a post-childbirth recovery period. Kardari also noted that the right to this leave can be transferred to the father under specific conditions.

Kardari explained that the special maternity leave can be taken consecutively after the standard maternity leave and can be combined with regular annual leave, offering flexibility to working mothers. Standard maternity leave in Greece lasts 17 weeks, after which employees can opt for their regular annual leave or the special maternity protection leave.

This specific leave is related to the needs of the family and the child and is not simply a recovery period after childbirth.

— Margarita KardariHighlighting the purpose and scope of the special maternity leave.

Significant changes have also been made to accommodate part-time and seasonal workers. Women working reduced hours to supplement their income are now eligible for the special maternity leave, provided they meet the stipulated requirements. Similarly, seasonal workers will also benefit from this expansion, considerably increasing the number of women who can take advantage of the nine-month leave period.

The special maternity protection leave can follow maternity leave and be combined with regular leave, depending on the employee's choice.

— Margarita KardariClarifying how the special leave integrates with other forms of leave.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog