Vatican grants 3 days paid paternity leave

Pope Francis approved the change, which was signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, on December 13, 2021.

These three days of leave, the text states, can be taken consecutively or separately, within 30 days of the birth of the child. This leave also applies to adoptions and foster families.

The employee's salary will be paid in full but the employee is asked to give eight days' notice to his superiors, in accord with the due date. However, the father will be exempted from giving notice if the birth takes place before the due date.

Such a provision had been expected for years by Vatican employees. However, some of them expressed their disappointment, saying this period is still too short. One father contacted by I.MEDIA criticized the "discrepancy," considering how much the Church teaches of the importance of the father in the home.

A young mother, wife of an employee, also regrets that the Vatican has not aligned itself with Italy, which grants 10 days to new fathers. But "in the context of the current economy, it's better than nothing," she concedes.

In the past, Pope Francis has publicly praised French family policy on several occasions. In July 2021, France increased the length of paternity leave from 14 to 28 days.