WeMoms
11 Jul 2022

Is maternity leave mandatory?

Family
The mother

If you are expecting a baby and are wondering whether your employer is obliged to accept your request for maternity leave, here are a few things to clarify.

  • Maternity leave is composed of prenatal and postnatal leave
  • Your employer is obliged to grant you at least 8 weeks of maternity leave
  • Its legal duration, 6 weeks before the birth and 10 weeks after, is fixed by the Labor Code under article L.1225-17
  • If your doctor agrees and you are feeling well, you can postpone part of your prenatal leave until after the birth.

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