The system which allowed parents to usually request up to 2 days of leave per calendar year to stay with their sick child under 15 years of age has been replaced with a new mechanism as of 2018. The new system aims to give parents more flexibility when it comes to using these days and allows overall for more days to be taken off due to the sickness of their child. Furthermore, the age limit has been raised.
The duration of leave for family reasons depends on the age of the child. There are three different age groups:
- Child aged 0 to 3 inclusive: 12 days
- Child aged 4 to 12 inclusive: 18 days
- Child aged 13 to 17 inclusive and hospitalised: 5 days
The leave for family reasons may be split into half-days.