Important: This article discusses the extension of paternity leave approved in 2018. Since then, the legal framework has changed significantly, and readers should now consult the regulations governing leave for childbirth and child care, as amended, among other provisions, by Royal Decree-Law 9/2025 of July 29.
Paternity leave is being extended to five weeks
Paternity leave is being extended from four to five weeks, and fathers whose children are born on or after this Thursday, July 5—the date the 2018 General State Budget takes effect —will be eligible for this leave .
It was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) today, July 4, 2018.
Amendment of the Workers’ Statute: paternity leave.
Specifically, Article 48.7 of the Consolidated Text of the Workers’ Statute Act, approved by Royal Legislative Decree 2/2015 of October 23, is amended to read as follows:
“7.- In cases of childbirth, adoption, guardianship for the purpose of adoption, or foster care in accordance with Article 45.1.d), the worker shall be entitled to the suspension of the contract for paternity for five weeks, which may be extended in cases of multiple births, adoptions, guardianship for the purpose of adoption, or foster care by two additional days for each child starting from the second. This suspension is independent of the shared enjoyment of the rest periods regulated in sections 4 and 5.
In the case of childbirth, the suspension corresponds exclusively to the other parent. In cases of adoption, guardianship for the purpose of adoption, or foster care, this right shall correspond to only one of the parents, at the choice of the interested parties; however, when the rest period regulated in section 5 is enjoyed in its entirety by one of the parents, the right to paternity suspension may only be exercised by the other.
The worker exercising this right may begin its enjoyment during the period from the end of the leave for childbirth, provided for by law or convention, or from the judicial resolution establishing the adoption or from the administrative decision of guardianship for the purpose of adoption or foster care, until the suspension of the contract for the reasons established in sections 4 and 5 ends or immediately after the end of said suspension.
The suspension period shall be uninterrupted except for the last week of the total period to which the worker is entitled, which, by prior agreement between the employer and the worker, may be enjoyed independently at another time within the nine months following the date of birth, the judicial resolution, or the administrative decision referred to in the previous paragraph. Said agreement shall be adopted at the beginning of the suspension period.
The suspension of the contract referred to in this section may be enjoyed on a full-time or part-time basis of at least fifty percent, by prior agreement between the employer and the worker, and as determined by regulation. In any case, the working hours regime shall be the same for the entire suspension period, including, where applicable, the independent enjoyment referred to in the previous paragraph.
The worker must notify the employer, with sufficient notice, of the exercise of this right under the terms established, where applicable, in collective bargaining agreements.”
Amendment to the Civil Service Statute: Paternity Leave
The first paragraph of Article 49(c) of the Consolidated Text of the Basic Statute of Public Employees, approved by Royal Legislative Decree 5/2015 of October 30 , is hereby amended to read as follows:
“c) Paternity leave for the birth, guardianship for the purpose of adoption, foster care, or adoption of a child: it will have a duration of five weeks, which may be extended in cases of multiple births, adoptions, guardianship for the purpose of adoption, or foster care by two additional days for each child starting from the second, to be enjoyed by the father or the other parent from the date of birth, the administrative decision of guardianship for the purpose of adoption or foster care, or the judicial resolution establishing the adoption. The enjoyment of the leave shall be uninterrupted except for the last week, which may be enjoyed independently at another time within the nine months following the date of birth, the judicial resolution, or the administrative decision referred to in this paragraph, when so requested, at the start of the leave, by the parent who is to enjoy it, and authorized, under the terms provided in their regulations, by the Administration in which they serve.
Likewise, said regulations may provide for authorization, when requested in advance, for the leave to begin on a date later than that of the birth, judicial resolution, or administrative decision mentioned above, provided it is before the end of the corresponding leave or the suspension of the contract for childbirth, adoption, or foster care of the other parent, or immediately after its conclusion.”
Preguntas frecuentes sobre permiso de paternidad y nacimiento de hijo
¿Qué regulaba la ampliación del permiso de paternidad a cinco semanas?
La reforma comentada en el artículo ampliaba el permiso de paternidad de cuatro a cinco semanas para determinados supuestos de nacimiento, adopción, guarda con fines de adopción o acogimiento, conforme al marco normativo vigente en 2018.
¿Desde cuándo se aplicaba el permiso de paternidad de cinco semanas?
Según el artículo, la ampliación resultaba aplicable a los nacimientos producidos desde el 5 de julio de 2018, fecha de entrada en vigor de los Presupuestos Generales del Estado de 2018 que introdujeron la modificación.
¿A quién correspondía el permiso de paternidad?
En el régimen analizado, el permiso correspondía al padre o al otro progenitor en los supuestos de nacimiento. En casos de adopción, guarda con fines de adopción o acogimiento, podía corresponder a uno de los progenitores según las reglas aplicables en ese momento.
¿El permiso era ampliable en caso de parto múltiple?
Sí. La regulación comentada preveía una ampliación en supuestos de parto, adopción, guarda con fines de adopción o acogimiento múltiples, añadiendo dos días más por cada hijo a partir del segundo.
¿Podía disfrutarse el permiso de forma interrumpida?
Con carácter general, el disfrute era ininterrumpido. No obstante, la última semana podía disfrutarse de forma independiente en otro momento dentro de los nueve meses siguientes al nacimiento, adopción, guarda o acogimiento, siempre que se cumplieran los requisitos previstos.
¿Se podía disfrutar el permiso a jornada parcial?
La regulación comentada permitía el disfrute en régimen de jornada completa o parcial, con un mínimo del cincuenta por ciento, siempre que existiera acuerdo entre empresa y trabajador y se respetaran las condiciones establecidas reglamentariamente.
¿El trabajador debía comunicar el permiso a la empresa?
Sí. El trabajador debía comunicar a la empresa, con la debida antelación, el ejercicio del derecho al permiso en los términos previstos legalmente o, en su caso, en el convenio colectivo aplicable.
¿La reforma afectaba también a los empleados públicos?
Sí. El artículo también recoge la modificación del Estatuto Básico del Empleado Público, que regulaba el permiso de paternidad para empleados públicos en supuestos de nacimiento, adopción, guarda con fines de adopción o acogimiento.
¿El régimen actual es el mismo que el de 2018?
No necesariamente. El régimen de permisos por nacimiento y cuidado de menor ha sido modificado con posterioridad. Por ello, cualquier caso actual debe revisarse conforme al Estatuto de los Trabajadores, el Estatuto Básico del Empleado Público y la normativa de Seguridad Social vigentes.
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