European Parliament – Amendment 50 – Amending Council Directive 92/85/EEC introducing ‘a continuous period of non-transferable fully paid paternity leave of at least two weeks’

Amendment 50
Paternity leave
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1 a (new)
Article 8 a (new)

Amending Council Directive 92/85/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding – A7-0032/2010

Amendment
1a. The following Article 8a is inserted
“Article 8a
Paternity leave

1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that workers whose life partner has recently given birth are entitled to a continuous period of non-transferable fully paid paternity leave of at least two weeks, to be taken after the confinement of the worker’s spouse or partner within the period of the maternity leave;

Member States that have not already introduced non-transferable fully paid paternity leave to be taken within the period of the maternity leave on a compulsory basis for a continuous period of at least two weeks after the confinement of the worker’s spouse or partner, are strongly encouraged to implement it in order to promote equal participation of both parents in balancing family rights and responsibilities;

2. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that workers whose life partner has recently given birth are granted a period of special leave including the unused portion of maternity leave in the case of death or physical incapacity of the mother.”

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Further information:

• Paid maternity leave – should it be extended or not?
• Watch live debate Monday
• OEIL (link to documents)
• Press release ” Costs and benefits of maternity and paternity leave”:
• Questions and Answers on Maternity and paternity leave
• Interview with Edite Estrela
• Press release: Maternity and paternity leave: what are the implications?

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Procedure: Next week final plenary debate and votes in the European Parliament

1. Final plenary debate in the European Parliament – 18 October 2010
See draft agenda European Parliament – Monday, 18 October 2010 – 17:00 – 23:00 Debates

Agenda Item Joint debate – Working conditions for women

Improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding
(Report: Edite Estrela A7-0032/2010)

Second report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 92/85/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding
[COM(2008)0637 – C6-0340/2008 – 2008/0193(COD)]
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

2. Final vote in the European Parliament – 20 or 21 October 2010
See the draft agendas for wednesday, 20 October 2010 (12:30 – 13:30 VOTES) and thursday, 21 October 2010 (12:00 – 13:00 VOTES)