Germany: Ruling upholds parental leave rights

A court ruling issued in April 2009 has confirmed that parents are entitled to postpone taking their full parental leave entitlement in respect of one child if they have another child during the initial period of leave and take parental leave in respect of the second child.

The 2006 Federal Parental Benefit and Parental Leave Act (Gesetz zum Elterngeld und zur Elternzeit) entitles parents (natural and adoptive) to take parental leave (Elternzeit) for a period of three years after a child's birth.