The number of parental leaves of less than 6 months is limited to two applications and is based on the youngest child

The Ministry of Labor’s (MOL, 勞動部) friendly childcare policy is on the road, and the relevant regulations on childcare stays are also relaxed in July. In addition to the increase in the number of maternity inspections to 14, and the addition of 2 days of maternity inspection leave, before a child reaches 3 years old, the parents may apply for less than 6 months but no less than 30 days leave without pay if they have less than 6 months childcare leave without pay but the number of applications is limited to 2 times. If parents have two or more children under the age of 3 at the same time, the calculation of the number of times should be limited to two applications based on the parenting period of the youngest child.

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The number of parental leave of less than 6 months is limited to two applications based on the youngest child. Picture/Retrieved from "Global Views Monthly"

Huang Wei-chen (黃維琛), Director of the Department of Labor Conditions and Employment Equality of the Ministry of Labor (勞動部勞動條件及就業平等司), stated that in accordance with the current gender work equality law, parents can apply for childcare leave without pay for each child below the age of 3, but not more than 2 years. If they are raising two children, the period of leave without pay for childcare should be calculated together, and the longest is limited to 2 years based on the youngest child.

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The number of parental leave of less than 6 months is limited to two applications based on the youngest child. Picture/Retrieved from "Global Views Monthly"

In addition, the MOL considers that when parents raise two or more children under the age of 3, the parenting period will overlap. Therefore, if a parent has a 2-year-old child, and have applied for a parental leave of less than 6 months, and if they have another child before the 2-year-old child reaches the age of 3, the number of applications will be calculated based on the youngest child, that is, the maximum number of applications is still 2.