Paternity and childcare leave extended to 28 days, 7 of them compulsory

Article 73 of the 2021 Social Security Financing Act extends paternity and childcare leave from 11 to 25 calendar days (from 18 to 32 days for multiple births), on top of the 3 days of birth leave paid by the employer, i.e. 28 days in total. An initial 4-day period attached to the birth leave is compulsory: the employee may not be employed during these 7 days. Adoption leave is extended from 10 to 16 weeks. Self-employed workers and farmers receive an equivalent extension. The article applies to children born or adopted from 1 July 2021; Decree No. 2021-574 of 10 May 2021 sets notice periods, how the second period may be split and the six-month deadline for taking the leave.