More fathers are taking paternity and parental leave

• In 2025, employed men were more likely to take paternity leave after the baby’s birth than in 2023, but for shorter periods.
• Three in ten men receive their full salary during the additional paternity leave.
• Employed men with young children were also more likely to take parental leave than they did in 2023, but less often than women.

In 2025, 92 percent of men with an employment contract took paternity leave after their baby was born. In 2023, that share was 89 percent. Around 10 percent of fathers take no more than one week of paternity leave. Almost half of fathers (46 percent) take the maximum of six weeks’ paternity leave. The number of hours of paternity leave taken has fallen compared with 2023. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of newly released figures.

Nine in ten fathers take paternity leave in one block

Since the introduction of this statutory leave in 2019, the parent whose partner has given birth is entitled to one week of paid paternity leave, which is equal to the number of hours they work in a standard workweek. This standard paternity leave must be taken within four weeks of the baby’s birth. Of the fathers (aged 15 to 74) who take standard paternity leave, 91 percent take this leave in one block.

Since the introduction of additional paternity leave in 2020, it has also become possible for partners to take additional paternity leave, which means that within six months of the baby’s birth, they can take up an additional five times their weekly working hours as parental leave. Additional paternity leave is less often taken in one block: 38 percent of fathers do this. In this survey, the duration of the leave is not taken into account.

Three in ten fathers receive full pay during their additional paternity leave

Under the standard paternity leave scheme, the full salary is paid. During additional paternity leave, the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) pays up to 70 percent of the salary, and employers can supplement the additional partner’s leave benefit. Almost half of the fathers (49 percent) who took additional paternity leave in 2025 received 70 percent or less of their salary, compared to 54 percent in 2023. In 2025, 30 percent received their full salary.

Fathers take parental leave almost as often as mothers

Employed persons with children under the age of 8 are legally entitled to parental leave. Each parent is entitled to 26 work weeks of parental leave. Since 2022, parents are entitled to nine workweeks of (partially) paid parental leave, provided this is taken before the child’s first birthday. In 2025, 33 percent of employed men with a child under the age of 8 took parental leave, compared with 35 percent of employed women. In 2023, these shares were 27 percent and 33 percent, respectively, meaning that the gap between fathers and mothers taking paternity leave has narrowed.

37 percent of employed men with an 8-year-old child say they had taken parental leave at some point, compared to 53 percent of employed women. In 2023, this percentage was lower for both fathers and mothers.

Almost six in ten parents with young children do not adjust their work schedule

Whether or not they take parental leave, employed persons can also adjust their work schedule to better balance work and care responsibilities. Nearly 6 in 10 fathers and mothers made no changes to their work schedule in the past year. For fathers, the most common adjustment is working from home more often, while mothers reduce their working hours. Nearly 4 in 10 fathers and mothers did not take parental leave in the past year and did not make any adjustments to their work schedule either.

Both fathers and mothers mention the same reasons for not taking parental leave

Around 22 percent of employed persons who did not take parental leave in the past year say they had already used up their entitlement to parental leave. They probably took that leave when their child was younger. In terms of reasons, there are only minor differences between men and women. Parents who indicate that it is not possible to take parental leave because their job is too demanding are more likely to say that there is no replacement with the right expertise or experience.