Some countries go above and beyond for their new parents.

Having and raising a child is not a ball in the park, you need ample time to take care of your baby, but you also need to get back to work and get paid.

Recently, we noticed that European countries are moving towards equality when it comes to maternity leave by granting fathers paternity leave too.

Here are five countries that have the best parental leave.

1. Finland

Finland is one of the best countries for parents. The government offers its employees a very generous parental leave. In 2021, a new law that entitled both parents are entitled to 164 days (5+ months) of leave respectively was passed. Though, 69 days from each parent’s allotted time may be transferred to the other parent.

Until the child is 13 weeks old, an allowance will be given to the new parents by the government. Single parents are also well taken care of and given an allowance that a two-parent household would have gotten.

Interestingly, dads in Finland do not make use of their allotted leave time despite these substantial leave allowances shows that societal and cultural norms are hard to break.

2. Norway

The welfare system is so favourable to pregnant women and parents.

A pregnant employee in Norway is allowed to take up to 12 weeks off work throughout her pregnancy. Unless she presents a medical document declaring that she should return to work, the mother takes a leave of absence during the first six weeks after giving birth.

The duration of the parental benefit period is either 59 weeks, which is over a year, with 80% salary coverage. Leave rights can be granted until the child becomes three years old. Fathers in Norway use 40% of their leave.

3. Germany

Employees in Germany may request up to three years of parental leave to care for a newborn until the child becomes three years old if they have a natural or adopted child. Both parents might request this time at the same time or separately.

Employees are permitted to work up to 30 hours per week while on parental leave. Parents of children born after July 1, 2015, can also apply for the Parental Stipend Plus, which entitles them to a government parental allowance for up to 24 months, or up to 28 months if both parents want to take parental leave at the same time.

The state pays 67% of the employee’s average monthly wage for 12 months of parental leave (14 months if both parents take the leave), up to 1,800 euros, but not less than 300 euros.

4. Iceland

Iceland, which has a population of less than 340,000, has one of the most liberal parental leave laws. 39 weeks of paid leave, which is funded by 80% of the employee’s pay, are allotted to parents and 113 weeks of paid time off for each parent.

The final 13 weeks might be divided equally between the parents or however they see fit. Fathers typically use up 45% of parental leave payments.

5. Bulgaria

A whopping 410 days (more than a year) of paid leave are provided to new parents in Bulgaria. 90% of the employee’s pay is covered by social security during maternity leave. The employee is entitled to monthly compensation from social security in the amount of the minimum monthly payment for the time between the 410-day grace period to the child’s becoming two years old.