Overview
- The congé de naissance, valid for children born or adopted from January 1, 2026, gives each parent one or two months off to be taken within nine months of the child’s arrival and can be used after statutory maternity and paternity leave.
- The benefit is paid by social security at a declining rate of 70% of net salary for the first month and 60% for the second, with payments capped by the social security wage ceiling.
- A decree published late on May 31 prompted confusion during rollout and led the government to announce transitional measures that extend deadlines and allow exceptional cumulation of some family payments for early-2026 births.
- Many families say the reduced indemnity is pushing them to take only one month or to combine other leave and paid time off to limit income loss, and some eligible parents could not retroactively access the new leave.
- Companies that already offer fully paid extra parental leave create uneven access across the workforce, and feminist groups warn the design will likely leave the lower earner—often the mother—taking most of the time off, limiting the policy’s effect on gender equality.