All parental leaves in Belgium 2026 — maternity, birth, parental
Expecting a child? Between maternity leave, birth leave, parental leave and adoption leave, it's easy to get lost. Here is the complete map: who is entitled to what, for how long, and who pays.
Four main leaves exist around the arrival of a child: maternity leave (for the person giving birth), birth leave (for the co-parent), parental leave (for each parent, until the child turns 12) and adoption leave. Each has its own duration, allowance and paying body. We go through them all below.
The leave summary table
Before diving into the detail, here's the summary. Keep it handy: it sums up who is entitled, how long it lasts and what allowance is paid.
| Leave | Who | Duration | Allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maternity (employee) | Person giving birth | 15 wks (17–19 if multiple) | Health insurance fund (no employer salary) |
| Maternity (self-employed) | Self-employed giving birth | 12 wks (13 if multiple) | Allowance + 105 service vouchers |
| Birth / paternity / co-parenthood | Employee co-parent | 20 days (within 4 months) | 3 days full salary + 17 days at 82% of gross (fund) |
| Parental | Each parent, per child | 4 months full-time (or reduced options) | ONEM interruption allowance |
| Adoption | Adopting parent | Varies by situation | Allowance via the health insurance fund |
⚠️ Indicative rules 2026 — check with your employer, ONEM and your health insurance fund. Exact amounts, caps and conditions depend on your personal situation.
1. Maternity leave
Employee: 15 weeks
If you are an employee, your maternity leave lasts 15 weeks (rising to 17 to 19 weeks in case of a multiple birth, twins or more). It splits into two blocks:
Key point: during this leave, you receive no salary from your employer. It's your health insurance fund that pays you a maternity allowance. Remember to notify it in time to avoid any income gap.
Self-employed: 12 weeks + service vouchers
If you are self-employed, maternity leave is shorter: 12 weeks (13 weeks for a multiple birth). You receive a maternity allowance via your social insurance fund, and on top of that 105 free service vouchers to help you at home after the birth.
2. Birth leave (paternity / co-parenthood)
The employee co-parent — whether the father or the co-mother — is entitled to 20 days of birth leave. This leave must be taken within the 4 months following the birth, in one or several blocks, as suits you.
Pay is handled in two stages:
Birth leave is a right: your employer cannot refuse it. Notify them in writing and keep proof. For the 17 days paid at 82%, your health insurance fund pays — check the steps with them.
3. Parental leave: 4 options to choose from
Parental leave is open to each parent and per child: dad and mum are each entitled to it, for every one of their children. It's the ideal tool to catch your breath after the first leaves or to adjust your pace as the child grows.
You choose one of the 4 options, depending on the balance you want between free time and income:
You stop working completely for 4 months.
You reduce to half-time for 8 months.
You reduce by one fifth (one day a week) for 20 months.
You reduce by one tenth for 40 months (subject to employer agreement).
The conditions
During parental leave, you receive an interruption allowance paid by ONEM. Its amount depends on the chosen option and your situation: check onem.be before submitting your request.
4. Adoption leave
If you welcome a child through adoption, you are entitled to adoption leave. Its duration varies by situation (notably the child's age and whether one or both parents adopt). The allowance is paid by your health insurance fund, on a principle close to maternity/birth leave.
As with the other leaves, the steps go through your employer and your health insurance fund. Check the exact durations and updated conditions on employment.belgium.be and with your fund.
5. Linking with the "care" time credit
When your parental leave is used up but you want to keep easing off to look after your children, the time credit with the "care" motive can take over (caring for a child under 8, for example). It's a separate scheme, with its own seniority conditions and its own ONEM interruption allowance.
In short: maternity/birth leave first, parental leave next, then possibly time credit to extend. Each building block has its own rules — ONEM is the reference body for everything to do with career interruptions.