The state government writes that the death of a parent shortly after the birth of a child is a heavy blow for the families involved. The care and well-being of the newborn must be paramount in this situation. And that is why the surviving parent should be able to take over the “maternity leave”.
The impetus for this came from former St. Gallen National Councilor and patient advocate Margrit Kessler (74). This had prompted 14 weeks of maternity leave for surviving fathers. The state government approved the idea on Wednesday.
16 weeks paternity leave
Since paternity leave has now been introduced, those affected should be able to take two weeks of free leave, just like other fathers. This results in a total duration of 16 weeks.
The state government also wants better conditions for surviving mothers – in terms of equality: if a child’s father dies within six months of birth, they should also be entitled to a total of 16 instead of just 14 weeks of vacation.
Costs are limited
There is currently no specific leave to care for newborns whose mothers die shortly after birth. There is therefore a need for action, according to the Federal Council.
For the income replacement scheme (EO), the federal government expects only minor financial effects from the new scheme: for 2024 it expects additional costs of approximately 120,000 francs. Deaths from complications after pregnancy or childbirth are still rare in Switzerland, the communiqué said. (SDA)