Caregivers are typically defined as family members or friends who provide care to individuals with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or other long-term needs.
For many employees, providing care must be balanced with work. This can involve caring for a child or partner, supporting a family member with a serious illness or disability, or providing longer-term assistance to someone who cannot manage independently.
Across Europe, employment laws provide a range of rights intended to help employees manage these responsibilities. However, there is no single approach to carers’ leave. Some countries provide a specific statutory carers’ leave entitlement, while others address caring responsibilities through family leave, personal leave, long-term care arrangements, reduced working hours or social security benefits.
The table below provides an overview of some of the different approaches.
| Country | Type of leave | Who can be cared for / relationship | Duration | Pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croatia | Carers’ leave | Close family member or person in the same household needing care due to serious health reasons | Five days/year | Unpaid | Right is described as personal care leave for a serious medical condition. |
| Cyprus | Carers’ leave | Relative or person in the same household needing significant care or support for a serious medical reason | Five days/year | Unpaid | Can be taken consecutively or in parts. Force majeure leave of 7 unpaid days/year also exists for urgent family reasons. |
| Czech Republic | Personal leave | Sick child under 10 in specified circumstances or sick family member, including long-term care | Short-term care leave: up to 9 days per instance, or 16 days per instance for single parents in specific circumstances
Long-term caregiving: up to 90 days in specific circumstances | Unpaid leave; carers’ allowance paid by Social Security Administration | One paid day may apply to accompany a close family member to a doctor. |
| Finland | Absence for compelling family reasons | Family member or another close person | Duration to be agreed between employee and employer | Generally unpaid unless a collective agreement provides otherwise | The employer has a duty to arrange work to allow the employee to take such leave. Temporary childcare leave also exists for a suddenly ill child under 10. |
| Germany | Short-term care leave Long-term care leave | Children, parents, grandparents, parents-in-law, spouses, partners, partners in registered partnerships, siblings, adopted children, foster children and grandchildren | Short-term: up to 10 days. Long-term: up to 6 months | Short-term: unpaid unless contractually provided. Long-term: unpaid | Short-term leave does not require the employer’s consent. |
| Hungary | Care leave | Relatives, subject to medical confirmation | Up to 2 years | Unpaid | Applies where care is expected to exceed 30 days, subject to the stated conditions. |
| Ireland | Carers’ leave | Person deemed to need full-time care and attention | 13 to 104 weeks | Unpaid | Five days’ unpaid leave per year also available to provide significant care or support to a child or other relevant person with a serious medical need |
The comparison shows that there is no single approach to supporting carers at work across Europe. While some countries provide a specific statutory right to carers’ leave, others rely on a combination of family leave, longer-term care arrangements, reduced working hours and social security benefits.
For employers operating across jurisdictions, this means looking beyond the label of ‘carers’ leave’. In particular, employers should:
A consistent approach to supporting employees with caring responsibilities can be valuable, but global policies should leave enough flexibility to accommodate different statutory rights at local level.
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