The Seimas will consider whether the guardians of the child’s parents will be able to receive leave to take care of the child

This week, the first deputy leader of the faction of the Lithuanian Peasants and Greens Union (LVŽS) submitted such amendments to the Labor Code and the Sickness and Maternity Social Insurance Law to the Seimas Guoda Burokienė said that currently one of the parents or adoptive parents, a guardian, or one of the child’s grandparents meeting the established conditions has the right to receive child care allowance.

“But there are cases where the child’s parents only have guardians, they did not have parents to raise them, they were raised by guardians and for various reasons they could not adopt those children. And those guardians, according to the provisions of the Labor Code, cannot be granted leave to take care of a grandchild or a child. They do not have access to childcare allowance. I think that there are not many such guardians, but since there are those who want to take advantage of this opportunity, I suggest including guardians as well as grandparents,” said G. Burokienė from the Seimas tribune.

After submission, 47 members of the Seimas voted for the proposed provisions, 3 against, 25 abstained. The projects initiated by the “peasants” of the Seimas will be considered by the Social Affairs and Labor Committee, and on December 12 they should return to the plenary sessions.

It is proposed that the new legal regulation will enter into force from next year.

Currently, the Labor Code stipulates that leave to care for a child, until the child turns three years old, can be granted to the mother (mother), father (adoptive), grandmother, grandfather or other relatives who are actually raising the child, as well as the employee appointed as the child’s guardian.