Your paternity leave

Duration of your paternity leave

Paternity and childcare leave is:
- a maximum of 25 days for the birth of one child;
- a maximum of 32 days for a multiple birth.

It must begin immediately after the 3 days' maternity leave offered by the employer.

Leave may be taken in one go. In this case, the leave starts the day after the end of the birth leave (3 days).

The leave may also be taken in several periods as follows:

- an initial period of 4 days, immediately following the birth leave (3 days) provided by your employer. Birth leave begins on the day of the birth or the next working day;
- a second period of 21 days in the case of a single birth or 28 days in the case of multiple births. This period can be divided up, and must be done within 6 months of the birth of the child.

How to benefit from paternity leave ?

You are working as an employee ?

To benefit from paternity leave, you must:
- Be the child's father (whether or not he lives with the child's mother) or live in a marital relationship with the child's mother, regardless of whether you are related to the child (spouse, PACS partner or cohabitee);
- provide proof of a minimum of 6 months' registration as a social security contributor;
- have worked at least 150 hours as an employee or in a similar capacity during the three months or 90 days preceding the start of the paternity leave or the cessation of activity.

In the case of seasonal or discontinuous activity, you have worked at least 600 hours as an employee or in a similar capacity during the 12 months preceding the start of the leave or the cessation of activity.

You can find more information on ameli.fr, under the heading: "Le congé de paternité et d’accueil de l’enfant".

You are self-employed ?

To qualify for paternity and childcare leave, it is necessary to be registered as a social security contributor for at least 6 months at the start date of the leave and cease to be self-employed.

A company director (self-employed, self-employed manager, liberal profession, shopkeeper or craftsman) must send his primary health insurance fund (CPAM):

 -  form no. 12 of the maternity booklet sent to the mother (if self-employed) following receipt of the declaration of pregnancy or a statement on honour certifying that she has stopped working during the period in question;
- a full copy of the birth certificate for the child(ren) or a copy of the updated family record book, or a copy of the acknowledgement of the child(ren) by the father.

For the collaborating spouse, the entitlement must be fulfilled by the spouse who is the head of the company.
The collaborating spouse must stop working during the period of leave in order to receive the lump-sum daily allowance and be replaced during the period of paternity and childcare leave.

For a collaborating spouse, it is necessary to send:
-    forms 14 and 14 bis of the maternity booklet sent to the mother (if self-employed) on receipt of her declaration of pregnancy;
-    a copy of the payslip of the person who replaced the applicant;
-    a full copy of the birth certificate(s) of the child(ren) or a copy of the updated family record book, or a copy of the acknowledgement of the child(ren) by the father.

If the mother of the children is not self-employed, the maternity booklet Carnet de maternité pour les femmes cheffes d'entreprise : les démarches maternitéFiche pratique - PDF, 18.06 Mo or Carnet de maternité pour les conjointes collaboratrices : les démarches maternitéFiche pratique - PDF, 19.01 Mo can be obtained from the ameli.fr website, under the heading "Les prestations maternité des travailleuses indépendantes et des conjointes collaboratrices".

You can check the amount of the daily allowance and more information on the website ameli.fr “Le congé de paternité et d’accueil de l’enfant".

How much is my paternity leave going to be ?

You are working as an employee ?

To benefit from paternity leave, you must:
- Be the child's father (whether or not he lives with the child's mother) or live in a marital relationship with the child's mother, regardless of whether you are related to the child (spouse, PACS partner or cohabitee);
- provide proof of a minimum of 6 months' registration as a social security contributor;
- have worked at least 150 hours as an employee or in a similar capacity during the three months or 90 days preceding the start of the paternity leave or the cessation of activity.

In the case of seasonal or discontinuous activity, you have worked at least 600 hours as an employee or in a similar capacity during the 12 months preceding the start of the leave or the cessation of activity.

To calculate the amount of your daily allowance, your employer must send your CPAM a salary certificate, together with the birth certificate and the dates of paternity leave.

You are unemployed ?

You should send your CPAM:
- Your child's birth certificate;
- pay slips for the 12 months preceding the cessation of your employment;
- a cover letter (with your surname, first name, social security number,  dates of your paternity leave and the date of the last day worked).

After the first payment done by your CPAM, your daily benefits will be paid every 14 days, for each day of your maternity leave (including Saturdays, Sundays, and bank holidays). Keep all of your daily benefits statements alongside your pay slips.

You are self-employed ?

To qualify for paternity and childcare leave, it is necessary to be registered as a social security contributor for at least 6 months at the start date of the leave and cease to be self-employed.
The lump-sum daily benefit amounts is the average annual income over the last 3 years.

To get a quick estimate of your daily benefits, use the simulator available on ameli.fr.

You have to send your request to the CPAM where you are living. You can find your CPAM's address on our website ameli.fr, section "Adresses et Contacts".

Have a nice day.