Parental Leave

Having a baby? Congratulations!

Be ready to trade your peaceful mornings for 3 AM wake-up calls that don't care for weekends. Be prepared for the chaos, the diaper explosions, and the sleep deprivation that will take over your life. Welcome the looping marathons of Frozen sing-alongs, and accept Paw Patrol will be the only show playing on your TV.

Better call Barbosa!

Social Security tried to complicate access to information as much as possible. Usual stuff. God knows all the required paperwork, the durations of leaves, and the payment terms, but we don’t. We struggle to grasp it every single time someone goes through this process.

However, you can always visit the Social Security website. Supposedly, there lies all the information about it, but good luck finding what you're after.

The good news is we’ve taken the hit for you and tried to condense as much information as possible. Especially the one that applies to you and Significa. Social Security, thank you for nothing!

Either way, our accountant, Mr. Barbosa, is the best person to help you. You are free to call him at any given time, ask him as many questions as needed — he definitely doesn't mind talking — and even request him to fill in the required forms for you.

Better call Barbosa!

Sharing your news and pre-natal stuff

We know there is a lot on your mind, so the only thing we ask is that you let us know about your Parental Leave request as soon as possible. We need to plan for your absence and process your leaving date. Three months prior to the expected due date will suffice. Well, if you're the mother … there will be no hiding at that point anyway.

By “let us know”, we mean your Manager and Catarina. No one else needs to know if you wish to keep the news concealed for the time being.

Are you keen to attend those really interesting pre-natal lessons? You are? Great, you're free to take your time and attend those. Just make sure there's no conflict with concurrent meetings or simply reschedule them.

If you are pregnant, you'll likely feel sick some days. There will be some pretty nasty ones, especially during the first trimester and then once the due date nears. Alternatively, if you aren’t the pregnant one, and your partner is the one going through all the crap, there will be days your spoiling care will be much needed.

Anyhow, if you need some short-term time off for doctor visits, naps, those pre-natal lessons, or whatever reason, just go for it and let us know. We'll make sure we will cover for your short-term absence.

If your partner requires your full-time dedicated care and you're unavailable to work, please take a look at Care leave for your child or family.

Parental leave and pay

This is when Mr. Barbosa really comes in handy! Simply put, parental leaves are paid by Social Security. Both mothers and fathers are entitled to it in a varied range of split options that can get really confusing.

The law changes frequently, and whatever content we would insert here would be outdated sooner rather than later.

The current source of truth is the Social Security website, specifically this page. Take a look for yourself and, in the end, call Barbosa.

Returning to work

You'll be welcome, obviously, to return to work as normal. A few things may change in your absence, but you should be able to get back to doing exactly what you did before.

If you struggle to settle back in after this extended leave, please take a look at Returning to Work. We put together some guidance that may be of valuable help.

If you're struggling to realise what your re-starting date will be, again, talk to Mr. Barbosa, he will help you through the math. Catarina may be of help in this scenario, too.

But you know what? If you wish to keep nursing your baby for longer, you can take Holidays and time-off right after your leave. Or, if you're unable to attend work at the end of your leave due to sickness or injury, our normal arrangements for Prolonged sick leave will apply.

Alternatively, if you're tired of the sleeping, crying, feeding, and changing diapers routine and wish to get back to work earlier than expected, we feel you! You'll be welcomed right back. Just let us know with as much anticipation as possible so we can prepare for it.

6-hour working days

If you are a nursing mother, you are entitled to 6-hour work days upon your child's paediatrician’s statement. This applies to breastfeeding and bottled feeding up to the baby's first birthday. Beyond this, it requires further doctor authorisation.

In any case, just ask the physician and forward it to Catarina.

Different working arrangements than before

Do you wish to opt for different working arrangement of any kind? Or to move to a part-time model? Let your Manager know of your request, and we will take a close look into it.

As always, we will try to be as compassionate and flexible as possible, always in an attempt to accommodate everyone's wishes as long as they fit Significa's needs and circumstances.