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Parental leave extended to four months

New EU legislation on maternity and paternity leave came into effect yesterday (March 8th 2010).

Under the ruling, parental leave has been extended from three to four months for each parent. At least one of these four months cannot be transferred to the other parent, which the EU hopes will encourage more fathers to take paternity leave.

In a statement, the EU Council said: "The new directive seeks to better match professional and family life and to promote gender equality on the labour market."

It also aims to make returning to work easier for new parents, with workers allowed to request changes to their hours for a limited period.

Employers must also not discriminate against staff for applying for - or taking - parental leave.

Each of the EU's member states now has two years to implement the new legislation.

Currently, maternity leave allowances in Europe vary from 14 weeks in Malta to as much as 16 months in Sweden.