parental leave

The International Monetary Fund imposed no conditions regarding parental leave in Romania as part of the loan agreement and decisions to reduce parental leave were made by the Government, IMF official Jeffrey Franks said in a letter Thursday.

Romanian employers are forbidden to sack employees in the first six months after they return from parental leave, according to an emergency ordinance on new parental leave and child-rearing benefit measures to be implemented starting next year.

Romania’s Government will decide whether to lower or keep child rearing benefits unchanged after consultations with lawmakers of the ruling coalition parties Monday, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Labor Ministry state secretary Mariana Nedelcu said at a meeting organized by the national child protection authority with county departments that the ministry is working on a draft law to reduce parental leave to one year and a half from the current two years.

Romania’s parental leave ceiling will equal three average wages, governmental sources told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.