After parents realized the benefits of being able to stay home with their children and enjoy more flexible schedules, organisations have observed that parents now prioritise spending time with their children during those early stages of life.
Expectations have risen. There are, however, some obstacles: not every country mandates paid parental leave, and statutory parental leave often does not cover all caregivers. In many cases, traditional maternity and paternity policies leave significant groups of parents excluded.
To deliver such a policy, your organisation must be willing to exceed the bare statutory minima for family leave — particularly in jurisdictions where no baseline exists.
This guide will support you in setting up and running a policy that makes this time affordable for your team, helping you attract and retain high-calibre talent in the process.
You could set your family leave to the statutory minimum, but that isn’t necessarily the wisest approach.
To attract top talent, your parental leave policy needs to be competitive, inclusive, equitable, and compassionate.
Employees planning to start families seek leave that lets them do so without sacrificing career progression, opportunities, or pay.
Employees actively evaluate benefits packages when considering roles. According to Remote’s Global Benefits Report, 60% of employees say they have chosen one job over another because it offered a better benefits package, while 35% of global employees turned down or left a job due to concerns about benefits.
of people aged 25-34 would decline a job offer if the parental leave benefits were insufficient.
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Strengthening parental leave or adding benefits can be costly and raise budgetary concerns among leadership. Yet Remote’s research indicates that 78% of decision-makers observed improved employee retention after enhancing benefits.
Considering that the cost of recruiting a new employee is estimated at three to four times the new hire’s salary, investing in benefits can yield long-term savings and attract top talent.
Another motive for a generous family policy is to address the large disparities in parental leave around the world. Equitable benefits are crucial if you hire across multiple jurisdictions.
When assembling a global team, it is essential to design an inclusive parental policy. Regardless of where team members live or their family arrangements, your policy should deliver an equitable experience for everyone.
Although many countries mandate parental leave, statutory family leave provisions differ significantly across jurisdictions.
Bulgaria offers 410 paid days of maternal leave, with mothers receiving 90% of their salary during that time. While generous for birth parents, paternal leave is restricted to 15 days after childbirth, although fathers may share the mother’s leave once the child reaches six months.
Sweden provides more inclusive leave: each parent receives 240 days, paid at about 80% of regular wages. Single parents may utilise the full 480 days a couple would otherwise share. For multiple births, an extra 180 days per additional child is granted.
In the UK, eligible employees with the correct contractual status and notice can take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, with 39 of those weeks eligible for statutory pay.Paid paternity leave is capped at two weeks. The UK also provides unpaid parental leave: parents are entitled to 18 weeks per child until the child turns 18, though they may take no more than four weeks per child each year.
The U.S. mandates certain employers to provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for qualifying circumstances, including childbirth. Eligibility rules apply: employees must have worked for the employer for at least a year and logged 1,250 hours in the prior year. Several states and cities have introduced statutory paid parental leave laws of their own, which adds complexity to the U.S. family leave landscape.
Like Estonia, which offers 82 weeks for a child’s main caregiver, be they birth, adoptive, or foster parents, or Japan, which grants a year of leave for both parents.
Nevertheless, it is unwise to depend solely on any single country’s legislation when forming your own parental leave rules. Designing globally equitable and inclusive policies is key to making all current and prospective employees feel supported.
Understanding parental leave laws worldwide can be challenging
Remote researched 11 countries to highlight where statutes differ. Review ourInclusive Parental Leave Policies Research to explore the findings yourself!
You might think “my company already has a maternity policy.” Unfortunately, most such policies fall short.
Maternity leave was first recommended by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 1919 to give working mothers time to give birth and care for infants. Although amended over time, its original intent focused on protecting birthing mothers.
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Over a century after the original standard, we now acknowledge many different kinds of parents and caregivers. Maternity leave alone does not cover fathers, adoptive parents, foster parents, stepparents, and other caregivers who need time to bond and care for children.
Take the example of Gary Ackerman, a New York City teacher who became a father in 1969. He requested leave similar to his female colleagues and was repeatedly refused.
At the time, leave—unpaid—was reserved for women. Men were expected to continue working. The Ackermans sued; Rita Ackerman argued that women-only policies both prevented men from caring for children and forced women into caregiver roles. Their win changed NYC Board of Education policy, but widespread paternity leave took decades to become commonplace.
21% of women and 16% of men who have taken parental leave say doing so held them back from progressing in their careers.
Still, maternity and paternity leave alone are insufficient. A genuinely inclusive family leave policy must be broader in scope.
of employees believe their company should do more to make parental leave more inclusive.
"In a world where we continually aim to be more inclusive, being deliberate about including all genders means parental leave should address every aspect of becoming a parent without reference to a specific gender. It also means allowing any parent with a child under one to take parental leave, without assumptions about who will care for the child. Flexibility and choice are what matter most to employees."
Remote’s director of people enablement | Amanda Day
Just as maternity leave alone is insufficient, offering both maternity and paternity labels isn’t always enough. Adopting a parental leave approach matters for several reasons.
Terminology such as “maternity” and “paternity” can exclude parents outside the gender binary and those who do not identify with traditional parental roles. This matters because such parents may lack legal protections or access to government leave.
Foster parents and stepparents, for instance, may feel that maternity or paternity policies are not applicable to them.
This exclusion can leave many parents feeling unsupported. An inclusive parental leave framework can be decisive in attracting and retaining high-performing talent seeking comprehensive, inclusive benefits.
“Maternity” and “paternity” carry embedded assumptions about when and how leave should be used, typically focusing on birth and the very early months. Parental leave, by contrast, should cover a wide range of circumstances:
When a same-sex couple expects a child, parental leave prevents forcing them to pick who claims maternity versus paternity leave. Paid paternity has historically been rarer and shorter than maternity leave, which can disadvantage two-father, trans, or non-binary families who might otherwise need to use other leave types to bond and welcome a child.
While some maternity/paternity schemes include adoption, many do not. Parental leave can account for adoption processes and help families settle a newly adopted child without losing income.
When an employee fosters a child, they need time to bond and integrate the child into the family. Parental leave enables this without income loss.
Many policies omit stepparents, who are often essential to a child’s life. An equitable parental leave policy enables stepparents to take the time necessary to bond.
Shared parental leave lets two parents split a pool of leave, allowing one to transfer part of their entitlement to the other. This provides flexibility in how leave is used.
Between 10-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. It is likely that someone you know or work with has faced this loss, yet pregnancy loss often remains an unspoken grief for many parents.
Most miscarriages occur in early pregnancy, before many parents have disclosed the pregnancy beyond their immediate family.
A 2019 UK study found that one in three parents who experienced pregnancy loss developed post-traumatic stress. In organisations with clear DEI commitments, family leave policies should reflect those values. Such provisions attract top global talent seeking inclusive workplaces. Symptoms like post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression often persist, with high levels still observed nine months after the loss.
Providing bereavement leave for miscarriage and other pregnancy-related trauma—such as unsuccessful fertility treatments or ectopic pregnancies—demonstrates genuine care for employees who might otherwise feel obliged to work through profound loss. It signals real support for team members concerned about fertility or the risk of miscarriage.
This leave goes beyond standard bereavement benefits; it addresses physical and mental wellbeing. After a miscarriage, an employee may have ongoing physical symptoms or require medical care, and may be emotionally unable to work. Linking pregnancy loss leave to mental health support is therefore important.
are hesitant to take their full parental leave because of stigma.
Discussions about miscarriage are uncommon in social and workplace settings, so publicising the policy and ensuring employees feel safe to use it can be difficult. Employers can ease this by taking three specific steps:
Create readily accessible documentation on your policies so employees can discreetly consult them and understand how to access support and entitlements.
While miscarriage may directly impact the person who was pregnant, it also affects their partner and family.
Equip managers to discuss pregnancy loss sensitively. Provide training or reference materials so they can handle such situations with discretion and compassion when they arise.
Reproductive rights vary globally: only 75 countries allow abortion on request, while others permit it under limited circumstances. In 24 countries, abortion is prohibited entirely.
With a global workforce, it is important to recognise these differences when defining a reproductive health policy. At Remote, we support employees making healthcare choices appropriate for them. Accordingly, we provide documentation explaining our policy and how to request financial assistance when required.
Financial support is a key part of reproductive health policy because it extends beyond time off. We provide $2,000 to employees or their partners who reside where safe, legal abortions are unavailable, to cover transport, accommodation, or medical expenses. Disbursements are prompt and confidential, and we do not retain records on them.
Decisions to end a pregnancy are complex and can affect mental health. Ensure your reproductive health policy connects with available mental health resources.
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Caring for a family is time-consuming and can be especially challenging for parents of young children working from home. Parents juggling work and caregiving may feel forced to choose between being a devoted parent or a committed employee.
Offering flexible or part-time hours for parents can help them work during their most productive periods. While reducing hours after a child arrives may concern employers because of lower output, flexible and part-time arrangements can benefit both the organisation and staff—especially with asynchronous work—by supporting life-work balance while maintaining performance.
Flexibility may be the most valued and impactful policy an employer can offer. For parents, it enables responsiveness to family needs while managing professional responsibilities.
Remote’s Senior Expert of Global Benefits Design and Strategy | Joana Viana
Rather than requiring exhausted parents to work synchronously while caregiving, offering schedule autonomy shows trust and is likely to be reciprocated with sustained productivity.
Some jurisdictions already require employers to permit part-time work when both parents are employed, so offering flexible options can both strengthen the employer-employee psychological contract and simplify compliance.
An inclusive parental leave policy should cover all types of parents: birth parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, and stepparents. It should embrace all gender identities, sexual orientations, and family structures. If a team member is a parent, the leave policy should apply to them.
Using inclusive language in parental leave documentation helps all team members feel supported and empowered. Use gender-neutral terms (“parent” rather than “mother” or “father”), avoid labelling caregivers as primary or secondary, and write clearly so everyone understands the policy.
An inclusive policy should also help shift perceptions about gender roles. For example, encourage men to take parental leave, accept bereavement time for pregnancy loss, and avoid framing women as the default primary caregiver.
While inclusivity makes employees feel valued, equity ensures every team member can access the same benefits.
Equitable parental leave includes:
The same benefits, resources, and opportunities for all team members, regardless of gender or family structure
Equitable benefits irrespective of employees’ location or their country’s statutory leave provisions
Designing an equitable parental leave policy requires careful thought. Top talent expects a benefits offering that supports them in taking the time needed to build and raise a family. Ensure your organisation meets minimum statutory requirements across markets while delivering an equitable experience when employees use benefits.
No one wants to feel their family is denied benefits others receive. Inclusive and equitable parental leave is essential to ensuring every team member feels respected and supported by the organisation.
An equitable family leave policy also challenges stereotypes, entrenched gender roles, and cultural omissions that confine people to specific family roles. By using inclusive language and enforcing equity, you empower every family to choose how to care for their loved ones in the way that suits them best.
Welcoming a new child is a celebratory time. New parents want to take their entitled leave without fearing judgment. Building a culture that supports and encourages parental leave is essential.
For instance, one employer offers a $2,000 stipend to pregnant staff to help cover maternity clothing. For many parents, access to flexible hours post-childbirth is the most valued benefit.
Remote’s benefits research found that flexibility is the single most requested benefit across workers, particularly parents. If you do not offer async, remote, or location-independent work options, some top candidates will seek more adaptable opportunities elsewhere.
We noted earlier that Japan provides a year of paid parental leave for both parents, but research shows only 13% of men in Japan actually take the leave. This reluctance is not unique to Japan; worldwide, non-birthing parents frequently do not use their allotted leave. One survey found that Australian men often avoid leave for financial reasons or because they fear being perceived as less committed at work.
A BBC report found that non-birthing parents worldwide often do not take their leave. Reasons include ingrained stereotypes about breadwinner roles and worries about workplace perceptions.
Don’t stop at drafting policies. Put in place workflows and structures to help parents transition into and out of leave, so they can take time off and return without undue stress. Leaders should model using leave themselves; otherwise, the gap between policy and practice will discourage employees from taking leave.
Remote’s Senior Expert of Global Benefits Design and Strategy | Joana Viana
All parents still feel pressure to return to work sooner than ideal. A 2021 study found that 50% of mothers surveyed felt taking maternity leave harmed their careers, citing microaggressions and negative assumptions about further time off.
For these reasons, it’s essential that team leaders actively support parental leave and encourage employees to take the time to which they are entitled.
Workers often judge themselves more harshly than peers or managers do. They may worry that taking leave signals lower commitment. Yet parental leave exists to protect both physical and mental wellbeing; failing to take it can negatively affect performance.
To address reluctance, leaders should champion family leave, encouraging employees to use parental leave benefits without fear of judgement.
of workers in sales, media, and marketing are unaware of how much parental leave their employer provides.
Be proactive and open in communication about leave policies so everyone knows what benefits are available and how to access them.
Reinforce the importance of taking parental leave and communicate that family comes first.
Promote a healthy life-work balance, which is vital for keeping teams engaged, motivated, and productive.
Reiterate that taking parental leave will not harm future career progression opportunities.
Establish a clear return-to-work plan with the employee and a defined career progression path to provide reassurance.
Integrate protections within performance reviews to ensure parental leave does not limit an employee’s advancement opportunities.
Parents want encouragement and support before, during, and after parental leave. Consider their experience across each of these phases.
Often HR teams concentrate on support immediately before and after leave. Yet many parents appreciate being able to remain engaged and connected to their role and team while on leave.
Explicitly offering parents the choice to stay involved in team social activities during leave allows them to decide what they prefer. Employers should encourage disconnection and rest, but flexibility helps new parents who value occasional social contact at work—an often underestimated benefit.
The transition back to work can be difficult, so return support should be documented. Birthing parents often worry they will burden colleagues. Consider assigning a return-to-work buddy—similar to an onboarding buddy—to help them ramp up and adapt to any changes.
Administering a global parental leave policy can be complex for remote companies with staff distributed internationally. Different jurisdictions have diverse requirements, and compliance quickly becomes complicated.
For example, although the United States may not mandate paid parental leave federally, employees still receive protections under FMLA. During FMLA leave, employees enjoy stronger legal protections than during regular employment; even in at-will states, FMLA leave typically protects against termination.
Therefore, we advise global employers to begin with a company-wide commitment to equity for all staff, wherever they are. After establishing this commitment, you can adapt how equity is implemented across locations. The objective is to create a consistent experience for similarly situated employees, not to resolve every global leave inconsistency alone.
This is where an Employer of Record (EOR) can help. An EOR (like Remote) is an organisation that helps you employ people in other countries by acting as the local employer on your behalf. EORs are experts in local laws and regulations and manage benefits, payroll, and tax compliance, relieving you from mastering employment law in each country where you hire remote workers.
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Although it may seem daunting, an inclusive and equitable parental leave policy can be straightforward to implement. You don’t need to become a global HR expert or retain lawyers in every country to employ local staff. With an EOR like Remote, you can access global talent and provide the benefits they require.
If you need assistance designing benefits, this guide offers a step-by-step primer for creating a global benefits programme for your team.
Remember
Parental leave is one component of a benefits package that must comply with each country’s statutory requirements. Remote’s global benefits specialists and local HR teams can advise on market expectations and help craft a globally equitable, locally competitive package for your workforce. Our benefits team can even assemble a global benefits package for your organisation.
Delivering an inclusive and equitable parental leave policy is a significant step toward a benefits package that attracts and retains the best global talent. It also levels the field for parents in regions where parental leave is not mandated by law. A generous parental leave policy signals that family is a priority and that your workplace supports life-work balance. Communicate that message, and talented parents around the world will be eager to join your forward-thinking organisation.
But providing equitable leave worldwide can seem overwhelming. That is why partnering with global employment solutions like Remote is essential.
We manage the complexities of global HR operations, while our software simplifies administration, so your team can concentrate on strategic planning.
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