Law No. 32 of April 7, 2022, entitled “Delegations to the Government for the support and enhancement of the family,” was published in Italy’s Official Gazette.
Over the next 12 to 24 months, a series of legislative decrees will be adopted, strengthening the work-life balance and giving better family support.
Labor law will be a particular focus. Parental, maternity and paternity leave will be reformed according to the following guidelines:
- Working parents can take parental leave until their child reaches 14 years.
- The introduction of flexible arrangements for the management of parental leave, according to the forms established by the sector’s National Collective Labor Agreements stipulated by the most representative national trade unions and considering single-parent family needs.
- Granting working parents paid leave of no less than five hours annually for each child, to meet with teachers and take part in their children’s development,
- Granting spouses, cohabitants or relatives up to the second degree of kinship leave to accompany women to specialist visits during pregnancy.
- Granting a minimum two months of parental leave, which cannot be transferred to the other parent for each child, and providing benefits if leave is equally distributed between both parents.
- Providing working fathers compulsory leave in the first few months of the child’s birth, which is significantly longer duration than the 10 days provided for by law, if the employer is given reasonable notice.
In addition, measures will be introduced to encourage female employment through:
- Benefits, including contributions, for companies during maternity replacements, the return of women to work, and their training.
- Gradual salary modulation during absences due to children’s illnesses.
- Incentives for employers who apply the clauses of the sector’s National Collective Labor Agreements containing flexible working arrangements, with the option for workers to request the reinstatement of the original contractual arrangements under contractual provisions.
- Measures to support financial training for women entrepreneurs and the digitalization of companies.
© De Luca & Partners, Labor & Employment Lawyers in Milan since 1976. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission of Lexology.