New bill granting simultaneous leave to both parents introduced in Romanian parliament

A new legislative initiative introduced in Romania’s parliament would grant both parents the possibility to benefit from parental leave simultaneously.

Cristina Rizea, a deputy from the reformist opposition party REPER, is the bill’s initiator. She argues that Romania has to do more to support families and that the presence of both parents in a child’s early life is essential.

“The proposal would have the state support both parents while they are on parental leave simultaneously and, as it is now, separately. Both parents, for example, can opt for parental leave in the first 6 months after birth, accumulating 12 months together. The next 12 months can be taken by either of the two parents,” said Rizea.

“The father can opt to benefit from the 6 months at any time and is able to be with the mother during the first 6 months of parental leave. This creates the conditions for a parental leave that is equitable from a gender perspective, ensuring that neither of the parents is overburdened by the responsibilities related to caring for the newborn,” she added, cited by G4Media.

In Romania, parental leave can be stretched to a maximum of two years after the baby’s birth, or three years if the baby suffers from a disability. Either of the parents can benefit from leave, and the duration is shared between them. The initiative does not change the duration of parental leave in any way. It only makes the options available to parents more flexible. The state already allows both parents to share their 24- or 36- months of leave.

The state also gives parents a monthly payment of between RON 1,250 (EUR 254) and RON 8,500 (EUR 1,727), depending on their past income. Parents can be granted leave if they paid income taxes for 12 months in the two years prior to the child’s birth or adoption. They have to have a legal residency in Romania and live together with the child for whose care they are requesting parental leave.

A splinter from Union Save Romania (USR), REPER has only 10 representatives out of 465 in the Romanian parliament. The bill, therefore, would have to have the support of other parliamentary groups in order for it to become law.