Maternity leave: 105 working days at 90% of earnings up to a ceiling of €46,207 during the first 56 days of leave, with a lower percentage for higher earnings; subsequently, payment is at 70% of earnings up to €30,033, with a lower percentage for higher earnings.

Paternity leave: 18 working days at 70% of earnings up to €30,034, with a lower percentage for higher earnings.

Parental leave: 158 working days per family at 75% of earnings up to a ceiling €46,207 during the first 30 days, with a lower percentage for higher earnings; subsequently payment is at 70% of earnings up to €30,033, with a lower percentage for higher earnings. A further 12 ‘bonus’ days are available for fathers who take the last 2 weeks of parental leave. Leave can be taken part time, at 40-60% of full-time hours, but only if both parents take part-time leave and only with the employer's agreement. Benefit payments are reduced accordingly.

Leave to care for sick children: up to 4 days per child per illness, for parents of children under 10 years, with no limits on how often parents can take leave. Level and length of payment depend on collective agreements, but often at full earnings.

Other: childcare leave, referred to as ‘home care leave’, can be taken from the end of parental leave until a child's third birthday. A parent taking leave receives a home care allowance: a basic payment of €294.28 per month + €94.09 for every other child under 3 years + €60.46 for every other pre-school child over 3 years + a means-tested supplement (up to €168 per month). Some local authorities, especially in the Helsinki area, pay a municipal supplement to the home care allowance.

Parents can work reduced working hours from the end of parental leave until the end of the child's second year at school. The employee should negotiate the reduction with the employer, who may refuse only if the reduced working hours would lead to serious disadvantages for the organisation; in that case, working hours must be a maximum of 30 hours a week. Employees taking partial childcare leave before the child's third birthday or during the child's first and second year at school are entitled to €70 a month.