Paternity and other-parent leave

Last checked: 11 Oct 2026. Unofficial student guide, not EPFL or government advice: confirm on the linked official pages before you act. Unfamiliar abbreviation? See the Glossary.

The federal paid leave for the father or the mother's wife after a birth, and the short leave for adoption. Maternity leave and its conditions are on Pregnancy and maternity basics.

Key facts

• 2 weeks within 6 months: the working father, or the mother's wife who is the legal other parent, gets two weeks' paid leave in the first six months after the birth; full time, that is 10 working days (AHV/IV leaflet 6.04).
• 80% of earnings, max CHF 220 per day: paid as up to 14 daily allowances (10 days plus 4 weekend days) by the loss-of-earnings scheme (APG) (leaflet 6.04).
• Who qualifies: same insurance and work conditions as maternity: 9 months of AVS insurance before the birth, with at least 5 months of work (leaflet 6.04).
• How to claim: employees claim through the employer; self-employed and unemployed people claim directly from their AVS compensation office (leaflet 6.04).
• Adoption: up to 2 weeks within 12 months for a child under 4 (leaflet 6.11).

1. Who is entitled

You must be, at the birth (leaflet 6.04):

• the legal father at the birth, or become so within the following six months; or the mother's wife recognised as the other parent (art. 255a al. 1 CC); and
• employed, self-employed, receiving unemployment benefits, or in one of the other situations listed in the leaflet.

The 9-month and 5-month conditions are the same as for maternity: see Pregnancy and maternity basics. Periods in an EU/EFTA country or the UK count.

Students: you qualify only if you were working and insured as above. Student jobs: see Working while studying. To verify: how a small student job counts toward the 5 months; ask your compensation office.

2. How the leave works

• Take it within six months of the birth. After that, the right ends (leaflet 6.04).
• Part-time workers get leave in proportion to their level of employment.
• The leave cannot be deducted from your annual holidays.
• If your employer gives notice before you have taken it all, the notice period is extended by the days you still have.
• The leave can be taken as weeks or as single days (CO art. 329g para. 3). Taken as days, every 5 paid days give 2 extra daily allowances, up to 14 in total (LAPG art. 16k).

3. How much

• 80% of average earnings before the birth, up to CHF 220 per day (leaflet 6.04, position 1 Jan 2024; the same maximum appears in leaflet 6.11, position 1 Jan 2025).
• The maximum is reached at monthly earnings of CHF 8,250 (8,250 x 0.8 / 30 = 220).
• The CHF 220 maximum is set by LAPG art. 16l with art. 16f, unchanged in the law as of June 2026.

4. How to claim

• Employee: ask your employer, who files the claim with its AVS compensation office (caisse de compensation).
• Self-employed, unemployed or unable to work: claim directly from your compensation office.
• If you do not claim, your employer (if it keeps paying your salary) can do so.

5. Adoption leave (in brief)

• Up to 2 weeks (10 days full time) within 12 months of the adoption of a child under four, paid at 80% up to CHF 220 per day, maximum 14 daily allowances (leaflet 6.11).
• Both adoptive parents can share the days, but not claim the same day.
• Adopting your spouse's or registered partner's child gives no adoption allowance; adopting several children at once gives a single allowance; a couple adopting jointly has one shared entitlement and may split it, but not take it at the same time (LAPG art. 16t; CO art. 329j).