From January 1, 2025, City of Grenoble employees will be able to benefit from a 30-day extension of paternity leave. Combined with the 25 days provided for by law, this special leave will allow employees to have a duration of absence almost equal to the ten-week postnatal maternity leave.
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A new special authorization of absence from the City of Grenoble. From 1is January, municipal agents will be able to benefit from 30 additional days, in addition to paternity leave lasting 25 days provided for by law, for “better welcome the arrival of a child”.
“We have created a new right for agents of the City of Grenoble which consists, for the father, the second parent, of having the right to be absent for 30 days in addition to the legal leave in the first six months of the birth of ‘a child. All this to allow a good reception of the shared child in terms of parental responsibility”, explains Pierre Mériaux, deputy mayor (Les Ecologistes) of Grenoble in charge of personnel and social dialogue.
This proposal, which is part of the city’s policy of equality between women and men, was voted on during the municipal council meeting on December 16. It aims to guarantee paternal or childcare leave equal to ten weeks’ post-natal maternity leave.
This is a factor of professional equality since most of the time, it was on mothers that this burden rested. There, we balance things.
Pierre Mériaux, deputy mayor in charge of personnel and social dialogue
“We considered that the time that is today granted to the second parent after childbirth and the arrival of a child is extremely reduced where, precisely, it is an important moment. It is a political will, because we hope that when a child arrives, both parents can be equally present”, explains Laura Pfister, deputy mayor for equal rights and general administration.
While a report from the Court of Auditors published Friday, December 13 recommended an extension and better remuneration of parental leave to reduce the demand for the care of young children, the City of Grenoble wishes “lead by example”. “It’s about saying that we can do better, let’s do better, let’s allow everyone to be equal on these issues. We’re coming to advocate on these issues,” confides the deputy mayor.
For Pierre Mériaux, this leave, which can be taken continuously or discontinuously in the first six months of the birth of a child, is “a factor of professional equality since, most of the time, it was on the mothers that this burden rested. There, we balance things.”
When a child arrives, whether it’s the first or the second, there are a lot of things to do at home. We also need time to get used to the presence of this child.
Edwin Hatton, public spaces project manager at the City of Grenoble
For Edwin Hatton, public spaces project manager at the City of Grenoble, this is good news. This father of two children aged 3 and 6, self-employed before joining the municipality, had to put his professional activity on hold when his children were born.
“I would have been very delighted to have had paternity leave two months after the birth because when a child arrives, whether it’s the first or the second, there are a lot of things to do at home. We also need time to get used to the presence of this child”, testifies the municipal agent.
For many parents, at the birth of a child, “It’s a whole rhythm that changes, a family organization to review. And it’s important to have time for this and for the tasks to be shared between the two parents”, adds Edwin Hatton.
As for the implementation of this special leave, the deputy in charge of personnel and social dialogue ensures that it “will not impact the organization” of administration. “We operate with work teams that are quite supportive, management that listens to the agents, so when a father wants to take his leave, it is the team that will organize itself to compensate for this absence.” specifies Pierre Mériaux.
While the chosen one emphasizes “an innovative personnel management policy”this approach has already made it possible to take other measures for the well-being of municipal agents. In fact, municipal councilors voted last year in favor of two special authorizations of absence linked to menstrual health as well as the state of health of agents.
It is with the same logic that we created menstrual health leave for women who suffer from painful periods and special leave for agents who have long-term conditions.
Pierre Mériaux, deputy mayor in charge of personnel and social dialogue
“It is in the same logic that we created menstrual health leave for women who suffer from painful periods and special leave for agents who have long-term illnesses, who must undergo medical treatment in hospital or in the clinic, to allow them to free themselves more easily to get through this period of their life which can be complicated”, recalls the deputy mayor in charge of personnel and social dialogue.
Before its application, this authorization must first pass the legality control stage. “There is always the prefecture which can tell us that it does not agree. We will see what it will do, I hope it will see this as progress,” concludes Laura Pfister.
