Finland to offer new fathers as much paid leave as mothers

[TomSea]

Finland to offer new fathers as much paid leave as mothers
Reuters Editorial

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland’s woman-led centre-left government plans to give new fathers the same amount of paid time off work as new mothers, nearly doubling paternity leave, it announced on Wednesday.

Paid paternity leave will be extended to nearly seven months, in line with maternity leave. Around half can be given to the other parent. Pregnant women are also entitled to a month of pregnancy leave before the expected date of birth.

Minister of Health and Social Affairs Aino-Kaisa Pekonen said the aim of the “radical reform” was both to improve gender equality and to boost a declining birth rate.

More: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-finland-politics/finland-to-offer-new-fathers-as-much-paid-leave-as-mothers-idUSKBN1ZZ16J