Parental leave: what to plan for before the birth
Paperwork around parental leave is best handled before the birth, not after. Here's what's worth planning ahead.
Maternity leave
Notify your health insurer and employer of your pregnancy before the end of the first trimester. The length of leave varies depending on how many children you already have, check your specific situation early enough.
Paternity leave
It typically needs to be requested from the employer at least a month ahead, with the option in many countries to split it across the 6 months following the birth.
What often gets overlooked
- Checking the actual amount of daily allowances, often lower than your usual salary
- Planning for a possible financial gap between the end of leave and returning to full pay
- Asking about any top-up offered by your employer or collective agreement
Pregnancy-related sick leave
In case of a difficult pregnancy, a doctor can prescribe extra leave before standard maternity leave starts, up to 2 weeks before term depending on the situation. It adds to the legal leave without reducing it, and shouldn't be confused with ordinary sick leave.
The paperwork timeline
- Before 15 weeks of pregnancy: notify your health insurer
- One month before starting leave: formally inform your employer
- Within 2 months of the birth: register the birth to adjust benefits
During this period, Kickoala helps ease the gear budget through a free registry you can share with a single link.
