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Spain Enacts Expanded Parental Leave Starting July 31

It complies with EU work–life balance rules by adding flexible leave weeks to halt daily fines.

Overview

  • Effective July 31, 2025, families including salaried employees, self-employed workers and public servants can apply for the expanded parental leave 24 hours after BOE publication.
  • Paid leave for each parent increases from 16 to 17 weeks for births occurring on or after the effective date.
  • A pair of additional paid weeks becomes available for children born after August 1, 2024, to be taken flexibly until the child turns eight.
  • Single-parent families will receive up to 32 weeks of paid leave with four of those weeks usable until the child’s eighth birthday.
  • Lactation leave remains unchanged at three weeks, and the reform fulfills EU work–life balance rules to halt €9,000-per-day fines.