"It is mandatory for the father to take a parental leave of 28 days, consecutive or interpolated, in the 42 days following the birth of the child, five of which are taken consecutively immediately after this", establishes the norm approved in the working group on labour changes foreseen in the Decent Work Agenda.

The approved Government proposal also provides that, after the 28-day leave, the father is entitled to seven days of leave, consecutive or interpolated (instead of the current five working days), provided that they are taken simultaneously with the enjoyment of initial parental leave by the mother.

"In case of hospitalisation of the child during the period after childbirth", the father's mandatory leave "is suspended, at the request of the father, for the duration of the hospitalisation", establishes the proposal.

The Government's proposal to amend labour legislation, within the scope of the Decent Work Agenda, entered parliament in June, without the agreement of the Social Concert, having been approved in general terms on July 8 with favourable votes from the PS, abstention from the PSD, Chega, BE, PAN and Livre and against IL and PCP.

The beginning of the discussion started on the 29th of November, with the entry into force of the new labour rules scheduled for the beginning of 2023.