Allowing fathers to invest more in parenthood and home life: this is the objective of extending paternity leave, official this Thursday, July 1.
Announced in September by Emmanuel Macron and voted in the Social Security budget, this reform of the leave doubles the duration for a father - or the second parent - of an unborn or adopted child, to 25 days plus 3 days of birth, against 11 plus 3 currently.
In the case of a multiple birth, seven days of leave are added, ie 32 compared to 18 currently.
In terms of remuneration, the three days of birth leave remain the responsibility of the employer, and the remaining days will be compensated by Social Security.
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Many fathers pleaded for this extension, some publishing a forum to ask for it, believing that France was "clearly lagging behind at European level".
In a report commissioned in 2018 by the Prime Minister, the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Igas) also recommended to favor a scenario of "strengthening" of this leave.
In the absence of progress, significant progress would be "unlikely" in terms of "distribution of tasks within the couple" and "professional equality".
"Numerous psychological brakes, particularly with regard to the company"
Optional, paternity leave in its 11 + 3-day version is currently taken by around seven out of ten fathers, a figure that has changed little since its introduction in 2002 and conceals strong social inequalities: 80% of employees on permanent contracts use it, against less than 60% in CDD.
"It is not just a question of envy of the fathers, there are still many psychological brakes, in particular vis-à-vis the company", estimates the psychotherapist Isabelle Filliozat, vice-president of the "Commission of 1000 first days ”which had recommended to the government to increase this leave to nine weeks.
According to her, this reform should "encourage more fathers to take it" because "the compulsory week can help them in their negotiations with their boss".
For some, however, these 28 days remain "derisory".
"It's probably better to forge a bond with the baby but not to review everyone's place in the home," said Marie-Nadine Prager, of the PAF Collective (for feminist parenthood), now pleading for parental leave on the Scandinavian model, well paid and distributed between the parents.
Changes could take place at the start of the school year, at the end of a mission on the reconciliation of professional and family time conducted since March by Christel Heydemann, of Schneider Electric France, and the sociologist Julien Damon.