Adoption leave

Employees and self-employed persons who adopt a minor child are entitled to adoption leave.

Employees and self-employed persons who adopt a minor child are entitled to adoption leave of up to six weeks . This leave must be taken in a consecutive period .

The benefit and the conditions depend on your status.

What should you do?

    For the application

    • Inform your employer of the adoption leave.
    • Submit the application form to CM, together with the necessary supporting documents .

    After the application

    • You will receive an information sheet and proof of resumption of work. You must complete and return the information sheet as soon as possible. Your employer will receive a request for salary data directly from CM.
    • No later than eight days after the end of the adoption leave, you must return the completed proof of return to work to CM.

    Submit the application form to CM, together with the necessary supporting documents.

    What benefit do you receive?

      You will keep your salary for the first three days of adoption leave. For the remaining days you will receive a benefit twice a month. It amounts to 82 percent of the capped gross salary.

      The benefit is paid out on fixed dates; You can find this in the payment calendar for employees .

      The benefit amounts to 597.07 euro per week . You will receive the full amount, less 11.11 percent withholding tax, no later than one month after the adoption leave.

      What are the conditions?

        • The adoption leave must start within two months after the child's registration in the population or alien register. If the child is picked up by the parents abroad, the leave can start earlier. It will then start at the earliest the day after you have received approval from the competent authority to entrust the child to you.
        • If a child is adopted by two parents who are employees or self-employed, they are both entitled to adoption leave.
        • The adoption leave can be extended by three weeks, to be taken by one adoptive parent or divided between both adoptive parents.
          In the event of simultaneous adoption of several minor children, the maximum duration of adoption leave is extended by two weeks per adoptive parent.
        • Anyone who does not want to use the maximum number of weeks of adoption leave must take at least one week or a multiple of this.
        • Does the child have a physical or mental disability? Then the maximum duration of the leave is doubled .
        • You can decide for yourself when the leave starts , but this can be done at the earliest on the day the child is registered in the population or national register and at the latest up to two months afterwards. If the child is picked up by the parents abroad, the leave can start earlier. Then it can start at the earliest the day after you received approval from the competent authority to entrust the child to you.
        • If a child is adopted by two parents who are employees or self-employed, both are entitled to adoption leave.
        • The adoption leave can be extended by three weeks , to be taken by one adoptive parent or divided between both adoptive parents.
          In the event of simultaneous adoption of several minor children, the maximum duration of adoption leave is extended by two weeks per adoptive parent.
        • Anyone who does not want to use the maximum number of weeks of adoption leave must take at least one week or a multiple of this.
        • Does the child have a physical or mental disability? Then the maximum duration of the leave is doubled .