Parents who choose to work part-time will be able to receive state support until the baby is 12 months old. Portugal's new employment law, which came into force on 1st May 2023, allows parents to take an additional 180 days of parental leave combined with part-time work. The government's aim is that the changes will also apply to ongoing parental leave.
According to the news reported by Público newspaper, after the 150 or 180 days leave, each parent will be able to take a further three months' leave if they work part-time. During this period, in addition to the salary corresponding to part-time work, they will also receive an additional 20% of their salary through Social Security.
"The possibility was created that, after taking the initial parental leave, parents could take complementary part-time job-sharing leave up to a limit of 180 days (90 days each)," said a source at the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security.
It is not clear, however, whether employers are obliged to accept this modality, which combines part-time work with social security support.
Other measures related to parental leave are also included in Portugal's employment law reforms. At present, couples can take extended leave, i.e. three additional months, which can be taken by one of the two parents, either fully or alternatively, and is paid at 25% of the reference rate. All indications are that the government is preparing to increase this figure to 35%.
In addition, and according to the Jornal de Negócios , the parental benefit should also be increased to 90% of the reference remuneration when, within the 180-day leave, the father takes at least 60 consecutive days or two periods of 30 days exclusively, after taking his compulsory leave.