Employment law · Updated 8 Oct 2026 · ~13 min read

Paternity Leave Netherlands 2026: Birth Leave, 5 Extra Weeks and Parental Leave

You’re about to become a parent, or you just did, and you want to know how much time off you get and who pays for it. This guide explains paternity leave in the Netherlands for 2026: birth leave, additional birth leave and parental leave. It’s for employed partners and parents, including internationals working under a Dutch employment contract.

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What does paternity leave in the…Can your employer refuse or…

Rules from Rijksoverheid, UWV and the Juridisch Loket · Checked 8 October 2026

Short answer

In 2026, a working partner in the Netherlands gets three types of leave. Birth leave: one week of your working hours, with your full salary paid by your employer, taken within 4 weeks of the birth. Additional birth leave: up to 5 weeks, with a UWV benefit instead of salary. The benefit is at most 70% of your daily wage, capped at €216.94 gross a day (70% of the €309.91 maximum daily wage from 1 July 2026, UWV). Parental leave: 26 times your weekly hours. Nine of those weeks are paid at 70% if you take them in the child’s first year.

Key facts 2026

Birth leave (geboorteverlof) equals your weekly working hours once over, is paid in full by your employer, and must be taken within 4 weeks of the birth (Rijksoverheid).
Additional birth leave (aanvullend geboorteverlof) is up to 5 weeks. You take it within 6 months of the birth, after your 1 week of birth leave, and you request it at least 4 weeks in advance (Rijksoverheid).
UWV pays 70% of your daily wage. The maximum is 70% × €309.91 = €216.94 gross a day. That is the rate from 1 July 2026; from 1 January 2026 the maximum daily wage was €304.25 (Uitkeringsbedragen per 1 juli 2026). The maximum daily wage is reviewed twice a year, on 1 January and 1 July, and includes holiday allowance (UWV).
Parental leave (ouderschapsverlof) is 26 times your weekly hours per child (Rijksoverheid). For example, 36 hours a week gives you 936 hours.
9 of those 26 weeks are paid by UWV at 70%, but only if you take them in the child’s first year (Rijksoverheid).
You ask for parental leave in writing at least 2 months in advance, and your employer may not refuse it (Rijksoverheid).

This is general information about Dutch law, not legal advice for your situation. Rules change; figures are for 2026. No rights can be derived from this text.

At a glance

What does paternity leave in the Netherlands include in 2026?

Under the Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg, Wazo), a working partner gets 1 week of birth leave at full pay, up to 5 more weeks at 70% via UWV, and 26 weeks of parental leave per child.

The birthing parent’s pregnancy and maternity leave is separate and has its own guide: maternity leave in the Netherlands. The table below covers the partner’s leave and the parental leave that both parents can take.

Leave	How much	Pay	Who pays	When to take it	Notice to employer
Birth leave (geboorteverlof)	1 × weekly hours	100% of salary	Employer	Within 4 weeks of birth	Before the birth or as soon as possible after, spoken or written (Rijksoverheid)
Additional birth leave	Up to 5 × weekly hours, in whole weeks	70% of daily wage, max €216.94/day (from 1 July 2026)	UWV	Within 6 months of birth, after birth leave	At least 4 weeks, by letter or email (Rijksoverheid)
Paid parental leave	Up to 9 × weekly hours	70% of daily wage, max €216.94/day (from 1 July 2026)	UWV	Child’s first year	At least 2 months, in writing
Unpaid parental leave	Remaining 17 × weekly hours	No statutory pay (your CAO may differ)	n/a	Until the child turns 8 (Juridisch Loket)	At least 2 months, in writing

Example: you work 36 hours a week. You get 36 hours of birth leave, up to 180 hours of additional birth leave, and 936 hours of parental leave, of which 324 hours (9 × 36) can be paid.

Birth leave

How does birth leave work, and who pays it?

Article 4:2 of the Work and Care Act gives the partner birth leave of 1 times the weekly working hours, with full pay, within 4 weeks of the birth.

The law grants this leave “met behoud van loon” (with continued pay) for one times your weekly working hours (article 4:2 Wazo). Rijksoverheid also says the employer pays this leave.

The week is based on your own hours. If you work 5 days of 6 hours, you get 30 hours of leave (5 × 6). You choose when to take the hours, as long as they fall within the 4-week window. Twins or more don’t add leave: you still get 1 working week.

That window starts after the birth. It doesn’t move if the baby has to stay in hospital for a while first, and leave not taken within it can’t be taken later. So plan your days early (Rijksoverheid).

Who counts as the partner? You qualify if you are married to the mother, her registered partner, living with her unmarried, or if you recognise her child (Rijksoverheid).

Additional birth leave

How much is additional birth leave, and when can you take it?

Article 4:2b of the Work and Care Act sets the UWV benefit for up to 5 weeks of additional birth leave at 70% of your daily wage, capped at €216.94 a day from 1 July 2026.

You take the leave within 6 months of the birth, and only after you’ve used the 1 week of birth leave. If you miss the 6-month window, the extra weeks are gone. You request whole weeks (1 to 5), but you can spread the days. For example, you can take 1 week of 5 working days spread over 5 weeks. On a 5-day week that is at most 25 working days in total (Rijksoverheid).

How much you get. The benefit is at most 70% of your daily wage, and never more than 70% of the maximum daily wage (article 4:2b Wazo). With the maximum of €309.91 gross per day that applies from 1 July 2026, the most you can get is €216.94 gross a day (UWV). UWV pays for 5 working days a week, also if you work part-time, so from 1 July 2026 the maximum is about €1,085 gross a week (UWV). If you earn above the cap, you’ll get less than 70% of your real salary. The maximum may change again on 1 January 2027.

Some employers or CAOs (collective labour agreements) top this up, but your employer doesn’t have to (UWV). Check your contract and CAO before you decide how many weeks to take. Our Dutch employment contract guide shows where to look.

Holiday days and holiday pay. You keep building up statutory holiday days while you receive the additional birth leave benefit (article 7:635(1)(g) BW). Holiday allowance isn’t added on top of the cap: the daily wage UWV uses, and the maximum daily wage, already include holiday allowance (UWV).

Applying and payment. Your employer applies to UWV for the benefit on your behalf. Rijksoverheid says it can do so from 4 weeks before the leave until 4 weeks after your last leave day (Rijksoverheid). UWV adds that the employer applies after the birth, once for all the weeks you take, and confirms you took your first week of birth leave. If the application only arrives after the leave, UWV pays for the period within 1 year before it received it. If your employer can’t or won’t apply, you can call UWV. UWV decides within 4 weeks of receiving a complete application (UWV). The money normally reaches you through your employer: UWV pays the benefit to them, and they pass it on in your salary. Your employer can also ask UWV to pay you directly (UWV).

Parental leave

How long is parental leave, and how much of it is paid?

Rijksoverheid says each employed parent gets 26 weeks of parental leave per child, and 9 of those weeks are paid at 70% if taken within 1 year of the birth.

“Ouders hebben recht op 26 weken ouderschapsverlof: 9 van de 26 weken zijn betaald als ze worden opgenomen binnen 1 jaar na de geboorte, dag van de adoptie of plaatsing.”
Our translation: “Parents are entitled to 26 weeks of parental leave: 9 of the 26 weeks are paid if they are taken within 1 year of the birth, the day of adoption or placement.” Source: Rijksoverheid, paid parental leave

Who qualifies. You need to be an employee, and if both parents are employees, both get parental leave (Rijksoverheid). It doesn’t matter how long you’ve worked for your employer, or whether your contract is temporary or permanent (Juridisch Loket). With twins, you get parental leave twice.

The paid 9 weeks. You get 70% of your daily wage, up to 70% of the maximum daily wage. Your employer applies to UWV for you, and can only do so once your leave has started. Your employer may keep paying your salary during the leave, or wait until UWV has paid the benefit, which takes about 4 weeks from the application (Rijksoverheid). UWV pays afterwards, and your employer doesn’t have to advance it, so you may have less income during the leave (UWV). Agree with your employer beforehand how and when you’ll be paid. Your holiday days keep building up, and the benefit includes holiday allowance (Rijksoverheid).

If you take the weeks after the first birthday, UWV doesn’t pay. They count as part of your unpaid leave, which you can take until your child turns 8 (UWV).

Flexible use. You can take the leave in one block or spread it out, for example a few hours a day over several weeks, or a few days a week over several months (UWV).

After the leave. Want to work different hours for a while after your parental leave? Ask your employer 3 months before the leave ends. Your employer must reply no later than 4 weeks before the end of the leave, and may refuse (Rijksoverheid).

Job loss or a new job. If you become unemployed, paid parental leave stops on the first day of unemployment (Rijksoverheid). See unemployment benefit in the Netherlands. If you change jobs, you can take the leave you haven’t used to your new employer. Your new employer may ask whether you already took leave with a previous employer, and your previous employer must give you, on request, a statement showing how much parental leave you still have (Rijksoverheid). Unused paid weeks can still be paid in the new job if they fall within the first year, at the same benefit level as before (UWV).

Leave taken abroad. Parental leave you took with a foreign employer doesn’t reduce your Dutch parental leave. Paid parental leave you already took abroad can be deducted from the 9 paid weeks (Rijksoverheid).

Employment law

How do you request each type of leave?

Rijksoverheid says you request additional birth leave at least 4 weeks ahead by letter or email, and parental leave in writing at least 2 months before it starts.

Birth leave: tell your employer before the birth or as soon as possible after it, either by speaking to them or in writing. Your employer may not refuse this leave.
Additional birth leave: send a letter or email at least 4 weeks before the leave starts. Say when you want to start, how many whole weeks (1 to 5) you want, and over how many weeks you want to spread them. If you can’t give 4 weeks’ notice, for example because the baby is born early, tell your employer as soon as possible (Rijksoverheid).
Parental leave: send a written request at least 2 months before the leave starts. If the start depends on the due date, you can say so. Include how you want to take the leave, because you decide how and when (Rijksoverheid).
Check your CAO. Your CAO or contract may give you more paid leave or set a different age limit than the law (Juridisch Loket).

If you’re late with the 2-month notice, still send the request as soon as possible and discuss the start date with your employer. Thinking about resigning instead? Check your notice period first. Parental leave you haven’t used can move with you to a new employer.

Employer refuses

Can your employer refuse or change your leave?

Rijksoverheid says your employer may not refuse parental leave and can only ask, up to 4 weeks before it starts, to spread your hours differently if your leave would cause serious business problems.

The employer may only object to the way you’ve split your working hours, and only if your plan would cause the business serious problems. In that case your employer has to discuss another split with you, up to 4 weeks before your leave starts. If you really disagree with the new split, you can take the matter to court (Rijksoverheid). A changed schedule then applies to your whole parental leave (Rijksoverheid).

Birth leave can’t be refused either. For additional birth leave, your employer can still change the days or weeks up to 2 weeks before, but only for a weighty business reason and in consultation with you (Rijksoverheid).

If your employer says “no”, “not now” or “only unpaid”:

Ask for the refusal or the proposed change in writing, with the reason.
Keep your request, the dates you sent it and every reply.
Check your CAO and contract for extra rules or a top-up.
Get free information from Juridisch Loket, or speak to an employment lawyer about your situation.

Dismissal protection

Can you be dismissed for taking paternity or parental leave?

Article 7:670(7) of the Civil Code bars your employer from ending your contract because you claim birth leave, additional birth leave or parental leave.

The Dutch Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek, BW) says the employer cannot terminate the contract because the employee claims birth leave or additional birth leave (art. 4:2 and 4:2a), or parental leave under chapter 6, of the Wet arbeid en zorg (Work and Care Act, Wazo). See article 7:670 BW, paragraph 7 (birth leave was added by Staatsblad 2018, 451).

This is a ban on dismissal because of the leave. It doesn’t freeze every dismissal while you’re on leave. If your contract ends for another reason, the question is whether that reason is real. That depends on the facts, and a lawyer can assess it.

The birthing parent has broader protection during pregnancy, with limited exceptions. Our maternity leave guide covers that.

Deadlines matter here. Challenging a dismissal has a short time limit. If you miss it, you may lose the right to challenge. Read the 2-month deadline to challenge a dismissal and what to do first if you’re dismissed. If you’re offered a settlement agreement, make sure you understand what you’re giving up before you sign.

Keep reading

Related guides

Employment

All Dutch employment law guides

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much paternity leave do you get in the Netherlands in 2026?

You get one week of birth leave at full salary, paid by your employer, within 4 weeks of the birth. After that, you can take up to 5 weeks of additional birth leave within 6 months of the birth. For those weeks UWV pays up to 70% of your daily wage, capped at €216.94 gross a day from 1 July 2026. You can also take parental leave, with 9 paid weeks in the first year.

Can my employer refuse paternity or parental leave?

No. Your employer may not refuse birth leave, and it may not refuse your request for parental leave. For parental leave, the employer can only object to how you split the hours. It can only do that if the leave would cause the business serious problems, and it has to discuss an alternative with you up to 4 weeks before the start.

Does my employer have to top up the 70% UWV benefit?

No. The law sets the UWV benefit at 70% of your daily wage, up to the cap, and your employer may top it up but doesn’t have to. Any top-up comes from your CAO, your contract or your employer’s own policy. UWV pays the parental leave benefit afterwards and your employer doesn’t have to advance it, so agree beforehand how and when you’ll be paid.

Can I be fired for taking parental leave?

Your employer can’t end your contract because you claim birth leave, additional birth leave or parental leave. Article 7:670 of the Dutch Civil Code says so. The protection is against dismissal because of the leave. If you’re dismissed around the time of your leave, act quickly. Challenging a dismissal has a short deadline, and a lawyer can look at the reason given.

Do I get parental leave on a temporary contract or if I just started?

Yes, as long as you’re an employee. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve worked for your employer, or whether you have a temporary or permanent contract. You still need to request the leave in writing at least 2 months ahead. The paid 9 weeks have to be taken in your child’s first year, or they become unpaid.

What happens to my parental leave if I lose or change my job?

If you become unemployed, paid parental leave stops on the first day of unemployment. If you move to a new job, you can take the parental leave you haven’t used yet to your new employer, and paid weeks still count if they fall in the child’s first year. Ask your old employer for a written statement of the leave you have left; it must give you one on request.

Do unmarried partners qualify for birth leave?

Yes. Birth leave is for the mother’s partner: someone married to her, her registered partner, someone living with her unmarried, or someone who recognises her child. The rules describe the partner by their relationship to the mother, not by gender. Not sure whether you count as the partner in your situation? Check the Rijksoverheid birth leave page, or ask your employer’s HR team before the due date.

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Official sources, checked 8 October 2026

Final notes and legal disclaimer

This article provides general information and is not tailored to your personal circumstances.
It does not cover all situations, exceptions, or recent legal changes.
Reading this article does not create a lawyer-client relationship with findlawyer.nl or any associated entity.
No guarantee is given that this information is complete, accurate, or up to date.
No rights can be derived from this article.
For decisions about birth leave or parental leave, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.

FindLawyer is a lawyer-matching and case-preparation service. Legal advice comes from the independent lawyer.

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