The DYPA provides financial assistance to working parents who choose to take their parental leave. The allowance equals the minimum wage and is granted for two months per child up to eight years old, providing significant relief to family budgets. This specific benefit is part of the state’s family support policy and combines with the ability to take four months of parental leave. This leave can be shared between both parents and used either continuously or at intervals, depending on the family’s needs.
Requirements for receiving the allowance
For a parent to secure financial assistance from DYPA, they must meet specific eligibility criteria. First, they must be employed in the private sector with an employment relationship. Additionally, continuous employment with the same employer must exceed twelve months. A basic requirement is having a child or children who have not exceeded their eighth year of age. Finally, the interested parent must have submitted a formal application for parental leave through the ERGANI system, using form E14 submitted by the employer.
Subsidy amounts and payment duration
The amount of financial benefit equals the current minimum wage and covers exclusively the first two months of parental leave. For each child in the family, DYPA provides a two-month subsidy. In special cases of multiple births, such as twins, triplets, or more children, the parent receives an additional two-month subsidy in total. This additional assistance is granted regardless of the exact number of children born simultaneously.
Special categories of beneficiaries
Single-parent families enjoy double-duration leave and correspondingly double subsidy time. Characteristically, a mother raising a child alone is entitled to eight months of parental leave and four months of financial assistance from DYPA. When it comes to adoption or fostering a child up to eight years old, parental leave and corresponding subsidy begin from the date the child is integrated into the family. Also, working parents who had already started their parental leave under the previous legislative framework and it had not been completed by June 19, 2021, retain the right to receive the allowance according to the new provisions.
Insurance coverage and employment rights
The period subsidized by the Public Employment Service is fully calculated as insurance time, including main pension, health insurance, and supplementary insurance. The required insurance contributions are covered entirely by DYPA, without any burden on the employee or employer. Absence due to parental leave is recognized as actual service time and is taken into account for calculating salaries, annual leave, career development, and compensation in case of dismissal.
Reintegration into the work environment
After completing parental leave, the working parent retains significant rights that ensure smooth return to work. Specifically, they have the right to return to the same job position they held or to an equivalent position with similar responsibilities. At the same time, all their professional privileges and rights they had before the leave are maintained. Additionally, the employee is entitled to benefit from any improvements in working conditions, salaries, or allowances that were implemented during their absence.
Flexibility in using parental leave
The institutional framework offers significant flexibility in how parental leave is utilized. Working parents can choose to take the leave continuously or divide it into smaller time periods, depending on family needs. Alternatively, there is the possibility of converting the leave into reduced working hours, provided there is agreement with the employer. Also, the leave can be used in the form of individual days of absence, without losing the right to financial assistance from DYPA.
