The Impact of Employment Precariousness on Parental Leave Benefits in Southern European Countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece)

In Southern European countries, entitlement to parental leave benefits (maternity, paternity, and parental leave) is mainly an employment-based benefit. It varies according to the mother’s and the father’s insurance contributions. However, continued labour market constraints, such as precarious work and atypical working conditions, have led to a non-contributory scheme generally less generous in length, often as a flat-rate benefit and below the workers’ average wage. To understand the impact of employment precariousness on access to parental leave benefits, this chapter analyses the employment situation of women and men in four Southern European countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece) in relation to the eligibility criteria for maternity and paternity benefits. The data show a general restriction on access to parental leave benefits for some parents, generally non-standard workers (part-time, temporary work, family work, flexible and atypical working hours), and self-employed, with less job stability. The consolidation of distinct categories of precarious employment introduces inequalities between workers, preventing full access to leave benefits.