The changes have yet to be supported in two readings and votes in the Saeima chamber itself.
Parents currently have access to 18 months of leave. Since August last year, a new directive has entered into force across Europe providing for the non-transferable part of this leave, namely that at least two months should be used by each parent. It is possible to split the remaining 14 months. This directive is also underway in Latvia.
The planned addition of an extra month will also apply if parents use 12 months instead of 18.
It will be possible to choose one of the following two periods:
19 months, of which 15 months from the date of birth of the child will be used up to the age of one and a half years of the child, while the non-transferable share will be used by each parent up to the age of eight years;
13 months from which nine months from the date of birth of the child will be used up to the age of one year of the child, but the non-transferable part may be used by each parent up to the age of eight years of the child.
It is also planned to identify cases where one parent will be able to use the non-transferable part of the other parent. This is the case where the child's paternity has not been recognized, the other parent is dead or the other parent has been deprived of or suspended from custody.
Amendments have yet to be decided on by Saeima deputies in two readings.
