Child care leave refers to the employee’s right to be completely absent from work and care for their child until the child turns three. Employers are not obligated to pay a salary for the duration of the child care leave.
The parent who is on child care leave may be entitled to home care allowance paid by Kela.
Child care leave usually does not accumulate seniority increments or experience increments. However, check what your collective agreement says about this.
Partial child care leave involves either parent working shorter days until the child’s second school year in comprehensive school ends. The parent agrees with their workplace on shortening their working time. The most common practice is to work six-hour days.
For more information about child care leave, visit Kela’s website.
The question was previously published on 5 April 2018.