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FAMILY

‘Lactancia’: How to get extended parental leave in Spain

Many mothers and fathers in Spain are unaware that they can apply for a "permiso de lactancia", or an extended parental leave for breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. Here's who is eligible and how to apply.

'Lactancia': How to get extended parental leave in Spain
Photo: Jaye Haych on Unsplash

Spain became a world leader when it comes to equal parental leave between both parents in 2021, with a law increasing paternity leave to 16 weeks – the same amount as previously only reserved for new mothers.

But new parents in Spain have other rights in the period following the birth of a child that many people are unaware of. These include the right to a reduced working day and extended leave for breastfeeding and bottle-feeding.

Read also: How to apply for parental leave in Spain

Known as permiso de lactancia or cuidado del hijo lactante, this allows new parents to take one hour off each day to feed their newborn child. This extra time can be taken during the child’s first nine months, and can be doubled or tripled in the case of a multiple birth.

Although in principle this nursing leave is for taking some time off work during the day to feed your child, it can also be used in different ways:

– Taking an hour break during your working day, or two half hours, to feed your baby. In other words, you are allowed to take breaks from work during the day after you go back to work following your parental leave.

– Reducing your working day by half an hour. If you want to get to work a bit later in the morning or leave a bit earlier, you can reduce your working day by half an hour. In this case, the time you take off for feeding is not one hour, but only half an hour.

– Accumulated nursing leave. Instead of taking one hour off from work every day, you can also accumulate the hours in order to take entire days off for feeding. 

How many hours or days can I take off to feed my baby?

This depends on whether you want to extend it into an hour every day, or whether you are accumulating the hours into days. You can take 1 hour (or two half hours) for every working day until your child is nine months old. For example, if you go back to work after 4 months, you can take an hour off a day for the remaining five months. One hour per 22 working days a month would be a total of 110 hours in five months, which would be around 14 days.

Is this only for breastfeeding mothers?

No. Both parents are eligible for permiso de lactancia in the case that they are employed by a company. This extra time can’t be claimed on Social Security or if you are receiving unemployment benefits. Freelancers or autónomos are also not eligible. This extra leave is also non-transferable: only one parent can take it and can’t pass it on to the other half way through.

Who pays for this nursing leave?

The cost of permiso de lactancia falls on the employer, not the Spanish social security system. The employee will earn their usual salary during this extra leave.

Can your company refuse to grant nursing leave?

No. Your company is obliged to grant nursing leave, since it’s a basic worker’s right. The employer is also not allowed to reduce it, or make the employee use it in a specific way.

How do I apply for it?

To get nursing leave you need to write a letter to your employer with at least 15 days notice. You should state the start and end date of your nursing leave, and specify if you are opting for a reduced working day or lactancia acumulada (accumulating hours into full days off).

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For members

BANKING

The best bank accounts for self-employed workers in Spain

Whether it be financial advisors, savings incentives, or the flexibility to do things like paying taxes and arranging payrolls, finding the right bank account can really help your self-employed working life in Spain.

The best bank accounts for self-employed workers in Spain

Being self-employed (autónomo in Spanish) can seem a little tough in Spain at times. Whether it be the endless admin, high social security charges or tax brackets, sometimes it can feel as though freelance or small business life just isn’t meant to be in Spain.

One thing that can make life a little easier is having a bank account designed especially for the self-employed.

READ ALSO: CALENDAR: The key deadlines for self-employed workers in Spain in 2024

What is a self-employed account?

A self-employed account is basically a bank account designed for self-employed people that you can open in your own name to handle all your professional money matters.

Many self-employed people find this beneficial because you can keep personal money separate from business income, and generally keep a clearer, more balanced set of accounts — something that comes in handy when making a tax return in Spain.

Another benefit is that many self-employed accounts allow you to use banking services that you would not have access to via your normal current account, such as doing payrolls, if you have staff, or access to financing and loans that regular banking customers can’t get. Many also offer cash back on paying social security fees. Also, often when opening a self-employed or business account, banks offer you a personal adviser to help you with your financial decision.

So, which are some of the best bank accounts for self-employed workers in Spain?

Sabadell Self-Employed Account – Cuenta Autónomos Sabadell

Sabadell’s Self-Employed account offers an account for the self-employed zero commission charges and zero conditions. You receive a free business debit and credit card, with no maintenance fees.

Aside from immediate transfers, all other transfers are free within the EU.

You also get a return of 3 percent of your direct debit electricity and gas bills paid via the account, something handy for self-employed people with offices.

Bankinter Professional Account – Cuenta Profesional

Bankinter’s Professional Account gives you remuneration of up to 5 percent APR in the first year and up to 2 percent APR in the second (maximum balance of €5,000).

It is a commission-free online account (via web and mobile app) with which you can separate your personal and professional expenses, and you will have a personal manager at your disposal to help you resolve all your doubts and needs.

You also receive a free credit card, free national and intra-EU transfers, can make free cash withdrawals over 17,000 cash points, advance deposits, and get multi-channel access to your account.

However, there are some conditions. You must deposit a minimum of €800 per month in the account (cash deposits not be valid), keep the card active, and make at least three charges per receipt per quarter.

READ ALSO: The social security fees Spain’s self-employed will pay in 2024 

Payhawk Enterprise – Payhawk Empresas

Payhawk accounts are a little different and go beyond the traditional definition of a business account. Unlike conventional accounts, Payhawk provides an entire banking ecosystem designed to optimise financial control and simplify the management of business budgets and expenses.

This account might appeal more to self-employed and small business owners with a significant staff or turnover, rather than to individual freelance workers.

The Payhawk Business account has automated expense management, offers Visa corporate cards (physical and virtual) that have usage limits and integrated spending policies.

The Payhawk platform also automates accounting, enables budget creation and frees you up from laborious administrative tasks, and the mobile app allows you to approve funding requests and make payments from anywhere.

READ ALSO: The financial aid available to Spain’s self-employed workers in 2024 

Revolut Pro Account

The Revolut Pro Account offers 0.8 percent cashback on card payments, create professional invoices, receive payments with QR codes, and spend and send money abroad with great exchange rates

This account may be better suited to individual self-employed workers in Spain.

Revolut Pro offers various banking plans with extra features:

Standard: Free
Plus: €2.99/month
Premium: €7.99/month
Metal: €13,99/month.

N26 Business Account

The N26 Business Account appeals to the self-employed by offering a 5 percent refund of the monthly autónomo social security charge to those who pay their self-employed fee with the N26 account (up to a maximum total of €180 per year).

The N26 Business Account is 100 percent online, free, and focused on the self-employed. It offers a free Mastercard debit card, which gives you 0.5 percent back on your purchases, allows free transfers to Spain and the Eurozone, and does international transfers through Transferwise.

You can make free withdrawals at any ATM a maximum of 5 times a month, and N26 offers a 24/7 customer service.

CaixaBank Business Account – Cuenta Negocios

Caixa’s Business Account gives you a specialised bank manager who will accompany and advise you throughout the life cycle of your business. If you don’t have a website but you want to make online sales through social networks or WhatsApp, Caixa’s SocialCommerce tool allows you to do all that and manage your online business.

If you do have a website, Caixa uses Cyberpac or Addon Payments to accept payments in your online shop in a simple and secure way. Similarly, if you want to further invest in or expand your business, you can finance your fees and receipts to expand or renovate your business and take it to the next level.

The account also has no fees or commissions. However, you’ll need to meet 3 requirements in order to pay no fees on the account:

Direct debit income of at least €750 a month or €9,000 a year.

Set up a direct debit for your self-employed social security payment.

Make any of the following payments from the Caixa Business account: your taxes, employee social security contributions, employee pay slips, utility bills or card purchases.

There is a maintenance fee of €15 per month if you don’t meet the requirements.

Santander ONE Business Account – Cuenta Santander ONE Empresas (autónomos)

For new customers, Santander’s ONE Business Account offers no account maintenance fees for the first 12 months

Neither are their issue or maintenance fees for Santander debit and credit cards, or for making transfers in Euros via online banking, mobile and ATMs, except for urgent transfers. No fee for debit cash deposits and withdrawals at more than 30,000 Santander ATMs worldwide either.

You have to meet some requirements to pay no commissions:

Deposit or invoice at least €1,800 every three months by means of POS, transfers, bills, or cheque deposit.

Make one of the following operations: payment of employee salaries, payment of the self-employed quota, or make 6 uses of the account card.

The maintenance fee if you do not meet the account requirements is €30 per month.

BBVA – Business Welcome account – Cuenta Negocios Bienvenida

BBVA’s Business Welcome account allows you to transfer your direct debits from other banks free of charge, and you’ll be given a specialist bank manager whenever you need one.

If you pay your taxes and/or social security contributions directly into the Welcome Business Account, BBVA offers you 3 percent of what you pay back – up to €100 gross per quarter, meaning you could earn back €400 per year. This offer is only for new self-employed customers.

On top of that, there are no fees on conditions during the first year with BBVA’s Business Welcome account. From the second year onwards, you have to meet the following conditions each month:

You must set up a direct debit to pay your social security or professional association fee through the Business Account, and you must also pay your taxes (IVA, IRPF, business tax or corporation tax) by direct debit.

There is a maintenance fee of €12 per month if you do not meet the account requirements after the first year.

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