Parenthood & PhD
Your rights concerning parenthood as an employed PhD
Everyone with an employment is entitled to:
- Pre- and post-natal maternity leave
- Adoption and Foster Care Leave
- Partner leave
- Additional Partner Leave
- Paid and Unpaid Parental Leave
Useful links
- What types of leave am I entitled to if I have children or am expecting a child, and how do I request this (WUR intranet)
- Collective Labour Agreement (cla), 21 Jan 2021 - 31 Mar 2022 (Intranet WUR)
- Op wat voor verlof heb ik recht als ik kinderen heb of een kind krijg en hoe vraag ik het aan? (Intranet WUR)
- Collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst (cao), 1 jan 2021 - 31 mrt 2022 (Intranet WUR)
- Wet arbeid en zorg: Zwangerschap, bevalling, adoptie en pleegzorg, vanaf 1-1-2022 (Overheid.nl)
- Wet arbeid en zorg: Ouderschapsverlof, vanaf 1-1-2022 (Overheid.nl)
In case of questions you can always contact your Human Resources department.
Breastfeeding or pumping during working hours
Every mother has the right to breastfeed her child or pump milk during working hours for the first 9 months after birth. Mothers are allowed to lactate as often and long as necessary, to a maximum of 25% of their working hours. Employers have to provide for a hygienic and lockable room at the office for this purpose.
Useful link
- Are there areas where breastfeeding women can express their milk and what conditions must these areas meet? (WUR intranet)
- Borstvoeding, kolven en werk (Ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid)
Pregnancy and work: work-related risks
Are to planning to get children or are you pregnant? Do also consider possible risks at work. This is applicable to men as well as to women. If there are risks - such as dangerous chemicals, risks for infection, irregular working hours, physically heavy work, unhealthy stress, extreme physical circumstances, or radioactivity - protective measures are necessary.
Useful link
- Zwangerschap en werk (RIVM)
Childcare benefit
Does your child go to a childcare centre? If you have an employment, you may be entitled to the childcare benefit. This is a contribution towards the costs of childcare.
From 2021 on, scholarship PhD candidates are not entitled to childcare benefits from the Dutch Tax Administration. Until 2021, scholarship PhD candidates with an employed benefit partner could apply for childcare benefit. Since 2021, this changed and scholarship PhD candidates with an employed benefit partner are not entitled to childcare benefit anymore. If you already received childcare benefit in 2020, a transition period of 1 year applies to you and you will still receive childcare benefit in 2021. But from 1 January 2022 on, you will no longer receive the benefit.
Useful links
- Apply for childcare benefit (Government of the Netherlands)
- My child goes to a childcare centre (Belastingdienst)
- Child benefit (Sociale Verzekeringsbank)
In case of question you can always contact your Human Resources department.