Sweden has passed a world-first law allowing grandparents to take paid parental leave to care for their grandchildren.
Under this innovative legislation, parents can transfer up to 45 days of their 480-day parental leave allowance to the child’s grandparents, or up to 90 days for single parents. This marks a significant milestone in Sweden’s history of progressive parental leave policies, as the country was the first to introduce paid leave for both mothers and fathers 50 years ago.
Sweden’s generous social welfare system provides new parents with 16 months of parental benefits, with 80% of their salary covered for the first 13 months, up to a cap of 38,480 krona ($5,400) per month. While women have traditionally taken longer leave periods due to lower wages, the gender gap in parental leave usage is narrowing, with 46% of leave now taken by fathers in 2022, up from just 10% in 2005.
The new law allowing grandparent leave is expected to further strengthen family bonds and provide additional support to parents during the critical first year of a child’s life. This progressive step reflects Sweden’s ongoing efforts to create an inclusive, family-friendly society that recognizes the diverse caregiving responsibilities beyond the nuclear family.