{"id":12131,"date":"2022-12-20T20:54:52","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T20:54:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/?p=12131"},"modified":"2024-01-23T16:01:21","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T16:01:21","slug":"your-guide-to-parents-leave-in-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/your-guide-to-parents-leave-in-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Guide To Parent\u2019s Leave in Ireland (2024)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The birth of a child can be a magical time, but if you are concerned about the potential impact on your career, it\u2019s important to know your rights regarding the time you can take away from your job to spend with your baby. You want to be enjoying newborn cuddles without worrying about how to make ends meet, or your working situation. There are various statutory provisions for parents and carers in Irish law, and it can feel confusing to navigate the different entitlements that may be available to you. At CareerWise, we believe a good work-life balance is vital to achieving the career you want, and that everyone should be able to spend time with their child without worrying about a negative impact on their hard-won career. Parent\u2019s Leave is a relatively new provision, and it was updated again earlier this year. It\u2019s a great opportunity for new parents but is often confused with Parental Leave. CareerWise are expert in helping you through every aspect of employment, so here is our guide to Parent\u2019s Leave.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12132\" src=\"http:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Parents-Leave-Ireland.jpg\" alt=\"Parents Leave Ireland\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Parents-Leave-Ireland.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Parents-Leave-Ireland-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Parents-Leave-Ireland-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Parents-Leave-Ireland-259x173.jpg 259w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is Parent\u2019s Leave?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Parent\u2019s Leave is legislation that came into force in 2019 with the Parent\u2019s Leave and Benefits Act. It entitles parents to seven weeks&#8217; leave during the first two years of their child\u2019s life, or in the case of adoption, during the first two years of the placement of the child with the family.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Is Parent\u2019s Leave paid?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Some who take Parent\u2019s Leave will qualify for Parent\u2019s Benefit. This is a payment of \u20ac250 each week you are on Parent\u2019s Leave. This amount was updated in the 2023 Budget, and from January 2023 the weekly rate will increase by \u20ac12.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How do I qualify for Parent\u2019s Benefit?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Parent\u2019s Benefit is paid if you have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions. You must notify your employer that you intend to take your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizensinformation.ie\/en\/employment\/employment_rights_and_conditions\/leave_and_holidays\/parents_leave.en.html\">parent\u2019s leave<\/a>\u00a0and of your intended dates no later than 6 weeks before your leave. You then apply for Parent\u2019s Benefit at least 4 weeks before the date you start your Parent\u2019s Leave. If you are self-employed you should apply directly to the Department of Social Protection (DSP) for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizensinformation.ie\/en\/social_welfare\/social_welfare_payments\/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children\/parents_benefit.en.html\">Parent\u2019s Benefit<\/a>\u00a0at least 6 weeks before you intend to take Parent\u2019s Leave.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Is Parent\u2019s Leave available to the self-employed?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Parent\u2019s Leave is available to the employed and the self-employed.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Does Parent\u2019s Leave affect my maternity\/paternity leave?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>No, Parent\u2019s Leave is an additional provision that you are entitled to on top of your existing maternity\/paternity leave.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Who can take Parent\u2019s Leave?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Parent\u2019s Leave must be taken by a <em>relevant<\/em> parent. A relevant parent is one of the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A parent of the child<\/li>\n<li>A spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the parent of the child<\/li>\n<li>A parent of a donor-conceived child as provided for under section 5 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015<\/li>\n<li>The adopting parent or parents of a child<\/li>\n<li>The spouse, civil partner or spouse of the adopting parent of the child (if the parents have not adopted jointly)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Are there any other rules governing Parent\u2019s Leave?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As well as being a relevant parent, to take Parent\u2019s Leave you must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Take the leave within 104 weeks (2 years) of the birth of the child or in the case of adoption, 104 weeks (2 years) from the date the child is placed with you (the placement date)<\/li>\n<li>Give at least\u00a06 weeks\u2019 notice\u00a0to your employer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Additionally, it is important to realise that you are treated as being in employment whilst on Parent\u2019s Leave. This means:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You are entitled to return to your job after your parents leave.<\/li>\n<li>You can build up annual leave while you are on parent\u2019s leave.<\/li>\n<li>You are entitled to any public holidays that occur during your parent\u2019s leave.<\/li>\n<li>You can get credited PRSI contributions while you are on parent\u2019s leave.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Is Parent\u2019s Leave different for multiple births?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>No, Parent\u2019s Leave remains the same length if you have twins or more, or if you adopt more than one child at a time. Parent\u2019s Benefits will also be paid at the same rate.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What changes have been made to Parent\u2019s Leave?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The legislation was updated and revised in July 2022, to reflect societal needs and current practices.<\/p>\n<p>From\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ie\/en\/press-release\/7dd94-minister-humphreys-and-minister-ogorman-announce-the-extension-of-paid-parents-leave-and-benefit-to-seven-weeks\/\">July 2022<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Parent\u2019s Leave increased from 5 weeks to 7 weeks for children born or adopted after 1 July 2022<\/li>\n<li>You can claim the additional 2 weeks&#8217; parent\u2019s leave if your child\u00a0is under the age of 2 on 1 July 2022\u00a0or your adopted child\u00a0has been placed with your family less than 2 years on 1 July 2022<\/li>\n<li>You must complete the extra leave on or before your child\u2019s second birthday or within 2 years of the adoption placement<\/li>\n<li>Parent\u2019s Benefit increased from 5 weeks to 7 weeks for each parent (if you qualify)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Parents of children born between November 2019 and July 2020 will not be eligible for the additional 2 weeks.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How can Parent\u2019s Leave be taken?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Parent\u2019s Leave can be taken as either separate periods of not less than one week or one continuous block of seven weeks. It is worth discussing with your employer which arrangement would be the most satisfactory, as well as considering your own needs regarding time with your child. You may feel that keeping in touch with the office would be aided by breaking the time up into smaller blocks, or you may want complete absorption in family life. Luckily Parent\u2019s Leave allows for both options.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Can I take longer than seven weeks?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Parent\u2019s Leave is the statutory minimum amount of time that your employer must give you. But it is worth having a conversation with your employer if you need longer, and check your employment contract \u2013 some employers are more generous with their arrangements. There are also other pieces of legislation governing time away from work for parents \u2013 you should work out your entitlement to maternity\/paternity leave, and then look into other options such as Parental Leave.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is the difference between Parent\u2019s Leave and Parental Leave?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The similarity in the name of each provision often confuses, but Parent\u2019s Leave and Parental Leave are distinct statutory provisions. Parent\u2019s Leave provides seven weeks of leave to parents of new children (under two years old). If parents are entitled, they may receive Parent\u2019s Benefit during this time. Parental Leave deals with a much longer period, applying to parents and guardians of children under 12 years old. Parental Leave entitles parents to take unpaid leave from work to spend time looking after their children. Since 1 September 2020, both parents can take up to 26 weeks of unpaid Parental Leave during the first 12 years of their child\u2019s life.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Are you exploring your career options in Ireland? <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.careerwise.ie\/\">CareerWise<\/a> is Ireland\u2019s leading specialist recruitment firm, based in Cork, Shannon and Galway, and we can help you find your ideal new job in Ireland. Whether you are returning to the workplace after having children or embarking on a career with an eye to the future, we can give you the expert advice you need. We specialise in the Engineering, Supply Chain, Science\/Pharma, IT and Accounting industries in Ireland, and we look forward to working with you. Contact us online now or call us at +353 (0) 21 206 1900 to arrange a consultation.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The birth of a child can be a magical time, but if you are concerned about the potential impact on your career, it\u2019s important to know your rights regarding the time you can take away from your job to spend with your baby. You want to be enjoying newborn cuddles without worrying about how to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":12132,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12131"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12131"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13087,"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12131\/revisions\/13087"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careerwise.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}