Estonia, Financial Services, Legislation, Society

The law would extend the length of the paternal leave from the present 10 workdays to 30 days and add one month meant for fathers to the 18-month period of parental leave, spokespeople for the Riigikogu told BNS.

From March 2018 onwards recipients of the parental benefit can receive an earned income of no more than half of the ceiling of the parental benefit, which next year will be 1,544 euros a month, without the parental benefit paid to them being reduced. To those earning more than that a parental benefit of no less than 470 euros a month will be ensured in 2018.

It will also be up to the parents to decide whether they wish divide the period of payment of parental benefit to them by suspending the payments and then resuming then, which can be done until the child reaches three years of age.

The size of the parental benefit will be calculated on the basis of the size of the parent's pay during the 12 months prior to pregnancy.

In addition, the law introduces an allowance for the parents of triplets or higher-order multiples in the amount of 1,000 euros a month for one parent until the children get 18 months old. The purpose of the allowance is to enable the parent to hire a person to help them with childcare.

The law was passed in the 101-seat chamber with 62 votes and one abstention.