What is the process for requesting paternity leave in Greece?

In Greece, employees are entitled to 14 working days of paternity leave. Here’s the step-by-step process for managing paternity leave requests for your employees:

1. Notification of Expected Delivery Date

The employee should inform the employer of the expected delivery date as early as possible.
Notification can be provided verbally, in writing, electronically, or through any agreed-upon method.

2. Employee Request for Paternity Leave

The employee must formally request paternity leave via email.
The request should specify the preferred arrangement for taking the 14 working days of leave, either in full or in parts.

3. Determining the Leave Schedule

Option A: The employee may take 2 days of leave before the expected delivery date to cover needs related to pregnancy and childbirth. The remaining 12 days must be taken within 30 days of the child's birth, either in full or in parts.
Option B: The entire 14 days of leave can be taken after the child's birth.

4. Employer Approval and Documentation

Once the employee’s request is received, the line manager and Horizons will review and approve the leave and document the arrangement.
Paternity leave must be granted by the employer, regardless of the employee's previous employment, work experience, or marital/family status.

5. Granting of Paternity Leave

The employer must provide the 14 working days of paternity leave with pay, as requested by the employee.
The leave should be scheduled in alignment with the employee’s preference and the company’s operational needs.

6. Tracking and Recording Leave

The employer should track the paternity leave taken by the employee to ensure proper payroll processing.
The leave period will be recorded in Horizons HR and payroll systems.

7. Return to Work

The employee should return to work after the paternity leave has been completed.
The employer should verify that the full leave was taken as agreed upon and update records accordingly.