Switzerland considers more equal parental leave

The debate on a fair distribution of parental leave continues in Switzerland. © Keystone / Gaetan Bally

A Swiss government advisory group has again recommended more paid parental leave but has adjusted its previous calculations to distribute time-off more equally between mothers and fathers.

The Federal Coordination Commission for Family Affairs now says that mothers and fathers should be offered the chance to each take 19 weeks leave when their children are born.

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However, the Commission wants parents to ultimately choose how they split up the proposed maximum 38 weeks leave between them.

The non-binding recommendation is designed to allow fathers more time to engage with early childcare and for mothers to recover from childbirth.

The Commission added that the extra proposed parental leave – more than double the current quota – would also benefit children and families.

At present, Swiss mothers are entitled to 14 weeks statutory paid maternal leave. Switzerland was one of the last countries in Western Europe to grant paternity leave when voters gave fathers two weeks at the ballot box in 2020.

It is estimated that the extra paternal leave would need up to CHF2.68 billion ($2.9 billion) a year in funding from companies and parents who would only receive partial pay after the first eight weeks of leave.