Division 3 Special leave, marriage leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave and special paid leave

Special leave with full or part pay, not exceeding eight working days per year, or without pay, may be granted by the Director of the SATCEN for exceptional or urgent private reasons.

Special leave of six working days with full pay shall be granted on the occasion of the marriage of a staff member.

Maternity leave on full pay, and not to be charged against sick or annual leave, shall be granted to staff members on production of an appropriate medical certificate. Maternity leave shall be for 16 weeks.

The leave shall start not earlier than six weeks before the expected date of confinement shown in the certificate and end not earlier than 10 weeks and not later than 16 weeks after the date of confinement.

In the case of multiple or premature birth or the birth of a disabled child, the duration shall be of 20 weeks.

Maternity leave on full pay, and not to be charged against sick or annual leave, shall be granted to a female staff member who legally adopts a child aged under 18 years.

Maternity leave shall be for 16 weeks and such leave shall commence from the date of arrival of the child in the child's new home.

In the case of multiple adoptions or the adoption of a disabled child, the duration of the maternity leave shall be of 20 weeks.

Paternity leave of ten working days with full emoluments shall be granted to male staff members on the birth or adoption of a child who is recognised as dependent (as defined in point 3 of Article 11) and, in a case of adoption, who is under 18 years of age. It shall be increased to twelve working days in the case of a multiple birth or on the birth of a disabled child.

The leave shall commence from the date of birth of the child or the arrival of the child in the child's new home, but may be postponed if the child is hospitalised.

A staff member shall be entitled to up to two months of parental leave without basic salary for every child, to be taken during the first 12 months after the birth or adoption of the child. The minimum leave taken at any one time shall not be less than one month and the period shall not count towards the accrual of annual leave.

During parental leave, the staff member's membership of the social security scheme shall continue; the acquisition of pension rights, dependent child allowance, education allowance and disabled dependant allowance shall be maintained. The staff member shall retain his post, and continue to be entitled to advancement to a higher step or promotion in grade.

During parental leave, the staff member shall be entitled to an allowance of EUR 800 per month, but shall not engage in any other gainful employment.

The full contribution to the social security scheme shall be borne by the SATCEN. The staff member shall continue to pay his personal contribution to the Pension Scheme, and shall be entitled to the relevant benefits.

Staff members recalled to serve in the armed forces for a period of training shall be entitled to special paid leave of a maximum of two weeks a year or four weeks every two years.

Periods of recall, which extend beyond these limits, shall be deducted from the staff member's annual leave.

If a staff member receives financial compensation from the national authority which recalled him, the amount of such compensation shall be deducted from his salary.