Comparing Leave Systems in the
Nordic Countries
Ann-Zofie Duvander &
Johanna Lammi-Taskula
Content
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Introduction and history
Length of leave
Level of benefit
Take-up of leave by mothers and fathers
5.10.2011
Introduction
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In the Nordic countries, the reconciliation of paid employment and family life has
been supported by the welfare state since 1960’s. This may be one secret behind
the high fertility rates.
Fathers were first given rights to parental leave in 1970’s. During the past two
decades, fathers have been in the focus: father’s quotas have been introduced to
the leave schemes and campaigns designed to encourage fathers to take more
leave.
In principle, the leave legislation is based on an idea of shared childcare
responsibility, as well as (almost) equal capability of both parents to take care of a
child.
In all countries, the employment rate of women is high and full-time employment
is common. Still, the take-up of leave is not equally divided between mothers and
fathers: mothers use majority of leave days.
The unequal sharing of parental leave has negative consequences for women’s
position in the labour market as well as men’s position in the family, especially in
case of parental separation.
5.10.2011
History of parental leave schemes
in the Nordic countries
Maternity leave Paternity leave
Denmark
1960
1984
Finland
1964
1978
Iceland
1946
1998
Norway
1956
1977
Sweden
1955
1980
*introduced again in the industrial sector in 2007
5.10.2011
Parental leave
1984
1985
1981
1978
1974
Father’s quota
1997-2002*
2003
2001
1993
1995
Length of parental leave
(income-related benefit)
80
70
60
weeks
50
father
40
both parents
mother
30
20
10
0
Iceland
Finland Denmark Norway
Sweden
Length of paternity leave
(weeks; taken after birth when the mother is at home)
3,5
3
2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5
0
Finland
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Iceland
Length of childcare-related leave
(income-related + flat-rate benefit)
40
35
30
months
25
flat-rate
20
father
both parents
15
mother
10
5
0
Norway
Finland
Sweden
Iceland Denmark
Level of benefit
Denmark
Finland Iceland
Norway
Sweden
maternity leave
100 %*
70-90 %
80 %
80-100 %
80 %
paternity leave
100 %*
70 %
-
0 %**
80 %
parental leave
100 %*
70-75 %
80 %
80-100 %
80 %
father's quota
100 %*
70-75 %
80 %
80-100 %
80 %
child care leave
-
314 €***
0
3307 NOK
3000 SEK
(407 €)
(344 €)
/flat-rate
* with a ceiling (93 € per day or 490 € per week); full pay according to coll. agreements
** agreed in individual or collective agreements
*** + means-tested supplement max 168 € + 60-94 € for siblings under school age
Mothers’ share of parental leave use
100
95
90
85
Denmark
80
Finland
75
Iceland
70
Norway
65
Sweden
60
55
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
50
Source: Nososco
Mothers’ parental leave use
Mothers use longer leave if….
• 1st child
• Older, work experience, can ”afford long leave
period”
• Low/middle income
• Public sector
• Large employer
• Extra benefit from employer
Fathers’ share of parental leave use
50
45
40
35
Denmark
30
Finland
25
Iceland
20
Norway
15
Sweden
10
5
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
0
Source: Nososco
Fathers’ parental leave use
Fathers use longer leave if….
• 1st child
• Legislation facilitates, fathers’ quota
• Public sector, female dominated work place
• Other fathers use leave at work
• Extra benefit from employer
• Middle/high income, but not above ceiling(?)
• High education of mother and father
To sum up:
• Considerable variations between the Nordic
countries in leave policy
• Variations in leave use among mothers and
fathers but also similar patterns
• Hard to compare statistics because of
differences in policy and in presenting
statistics
• Need of more collaboration for cross-country
comparisons!
Impact of fathers’ parental leave use on the
relative risk of a second birth
1,8
1,6
1,4
1,2
Norway
1
Sweden
0,8
0,6
0,4
0,2
0
No use
Little
Some
Average
Source: Duvander Lappegard, Andersson,
Journal of European Social Policy , 2010
Very much
Danish parents’ leave days
Accumulated parental leave days during child’s
birthyear and following year
300
250
200
Fathers
150
Mothers
100
50
0
2003
2004
2005
Source: www.statistikbanken.dk
2006
2007
Finnish parental leave use
• Parental leave benefit per day: Mothers: 49,7 Euro,
Fathers 69,9 Euro in 2008
• Fathers on leave are more often employed in
technical, science, art, humanities, health and social
work
• Fathers on leave are less often employed in
administration and commersial work and selfemployed
• Most used in Åland and least in Laponia
Source:The Social Insurance Institution of Finland (www.kela.fi)
Iceland, average days per parent
on parental leave
200
180
160
140
120
Women
100
Men
80
60
40
20
0
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Source: Childbirth Leave Fund (faedingarorlof.is)
2007
Norwegian fathers leave days
Distribution of days during first 6 months 2000-2009
100
90
80
70
60
1-20 days
50
21-30 days
40
31+ days
30
20
10
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Source: The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (www.nav.no)
Swedish parents who share leave equally
Defined as 40-60% division
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001 age 2003 age 2005 age 2007 age
7
5
3
1
Source: Swedish social Insurance Agency (www.forsakringskassan.se)
Fathers’ share of parental leave use
100
90
Danish men
80
Finnish men
70
Icelandinc men
60
Norwegian men
50
Swedish men
40
Danish women
30
Finnish women
20
Icelandic women
10
Norwegian women
0
Swedish women
Source: Nososco