He Royal Decree-Law 9/2025, of July 29, introduces one of the most relevant reforms in the area of work-life balance in recent years: the extension of birth and childcare leave.
With this measure, Spain completes the transposition of the Directive (EU) 2019/1158, whose objective is to guarantee paid parental leave and promote co-responsibility between parents.
This reform not only extends the leave period, but also improves flexibility and fairness in its application, especially for single-parent families.
New features of Royal Decree-Law 9/2025
Until now, the regulations established a permit for 16 paid and non-transferable weeks for each parent.
Of these, 6 weeks were mandatory leave after childbirth or adoption, and the remaining 10 could be taken until the child turned 12 months old.
With the entry into force of Royal Decree-Law 9/2025The permission is significantly expanded, configured as follows:
In the case of single parent familiesthe permit covers 32 weeks with the same enjoyment scheme.weeks in single-parent families, with the same enjoyment scheme.
- 19 weeks leave for each parent.
- 6 weeks mandatory after childbirth or adoption.
- 11 voluntary weeks to be enjoyed until the child is 12 months old.
- 2 additional paid weeks which can be enjoyed until 8 years of the child.
- In the case of single parent familiesthe permit covers 32 weeks with the same enjoyment scheme.
Practical examples of the new regulation
To better understand the impact of extension of birth and childcare leaveLet's look at some assumptions:
- Situation 1: Married parent wishing to extend their parental involvement during the first year. After the mandatory 6 weeks, they can take 8 consecutive weeks and reserve 3 weeks before the child turns 12 months old. From 2026, they can add 2 more weeks until the child turns 8.
- Situation 2: Single-parent family. A single mother will have 32 weeks: 6 mandatory, 22 flexible during the first 12 months and 4 additional paid weeks up to 8 years.
- Situation 3: Parents who work at the same company. If both request voluntary weeks at the same time, the company may limit it for justified organizational reasons and in writing.
- Situation 4: Flexible use during school holidays. The parent can reserve the additional 2 weeks to enjoy during the summer, coinciding with the school closure.
Retroactive application and transitional provisions
The rule includes a transitional provision that allows the application of 2 additional weeks (4 in single-parent families) with retroactive nature to births or adoptions that have occurred since August 2, 2024.
Those who have already exhausted their permit will be able to request additional weeks starting from January 1, 2026, without the need for a new recognition of the right.
Relationship with the parental leave of Royal Decree-Law 5/2023
Parental permission of 8 weeks unpaid, introduced in 2023, remains in effect.
With the new Royal Decree-Law 9/2025, the 2 additional paid weeks Birth leave is included within the work-life balance package required by European regulations. without replacing to unpaid parental leave.
In this way, each parent will be able to enjoy:
- 19 paid weeks (32 in single-parent households).
- 8 additional unpaid weeksuntil the child turns 8 years old.
Impact on the labor management of companies
The case underscores the importance of regulating and supervising the use of biometric data to ensure that fundamental rights are not violated. Some key recommendations include:
The extension of birth and childcare leave This involves a series of adjustments in the internal management of organizations:
1. More complex absence planning
Companies will have to plan for leave that now extends up to the age of 8 for the child, managing paid and unpaid leave simultaneously.
2. Flexible request management
The new regulations require that any denial or limitation on the simultaneous enjoyment of the permit for organizational reasons be justified in writing.
3. Strengthening legal certainty
The decree clarifies the communication deadlines and the procedure for requesting the permit, which must be done at least 15 days in advance.
The extension of birth and childcare leave, established by the Royal Decree-Law 9/2025, represents a step towards a fairer and more co-responsible work-life balance.
With 19 paid weeks per parent (32 in single-parent families), this reform expands rights and adapts Spanish regulations to European standards.
However, there is still room for improvement, especially in the total compensation for the 8-week unpaid parental leave.
The key now will be to ensure that both families and businesses can adapt effectively to this new work-life balance framework.
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