French Labour Code
In forceAfter the birth of the child, the employed father and, where applicable, the mother's employed spouse or partner or the employee bound to her by a civil solidarity pact are entitled to paternity and childcare leave of twenty-five calendar days or thirty-two calendar days in the event of multiple births.
Paternity and childcare leave entails suspension of the employment contract.
This leave consists of a period of four consecutive calendar days, immediately following the birth leave mentioned in 3° of article L. 3142-1, and a period of twenty-one calendar days, increased to twenty-eight calendar days in the event of multiple births.
The period of notice to be given by the employer regarding the expected date of childbirth, the dates on which leave is to be taken and the duration of the period(s) of leave, the period within which the days of leave must be taken and the arrangements for splitting the twenty-one day and twenty-eight day periods of leave are set by decree. The notice period relating to the expected date of childbirth and the notice period relating to the dates on which the leave(s) for the second period of twenty-one days or twenty-eight days must be taken, as well as the duration of such leave, must be between fifteen days and two months.
Notwithstanding the first four paragraphs, when the child's state of health requires hospitalisation immediately after birth in a specialised care unit defined by order of the ministers responsible for health and social security, the period of leave of four consecutive days referred to in the third paragraph is automatically extended, at the employee's request, during the period of hospitalisation, up to a maximum period determined by decree.
