licença parental
Published 5 November 2026, 23:09
licença parental (parental leave)
Leave on the birth of a child: the initial leave of 120, 150 or 180 days is shared between the parents, and the father also has days of his own — licença parental exclusiva do pai. Twenty-eight of these are compulsory: the first seven consecutively, straight after the birth, and the remaining 21 within the mother's 42 days of leave, in blocks of at least seven days. The father can take a further seven days if he wishes.
Where you come across it. The birth of a child when a parent works on an employment contract or on recibos verdes.
The leave and the pay are two different things: the right to leave comes from the Labour Code, but the money comes from social security as subsídio parental, and for that you need your own contribution record. The father's 28 days are compulsory — they are not a right you can trade away to keep earning your salary.
Official website: seg-social.pt