Carers' Leave
Leave for workers to provide personal care or support to a relative or household member with a serious medical condition.
Definition
Carers' leave is a new individual right introduced by Directive (EU) 2019/1158, entitling workers to take five working days per year to provide personal care or support to a relative (such as a child, parent, spouse, or sibling) or a person living in the same household who is in need of significant care or support for a serious medical reason. The Directive leaves the determination of the specific conditions for granting and taking this leave, as well as the level of payment or allowance, to Member States. This provision aims to support workers balancing professional and caring responsibilities beyond childcare, contributing to overall work-life balance. In Bulgaria, while a specific 5-day paid carers' leave is not explicitly detailed in all transposition summaries, the right to request flexible working arrangements for caring purposes has been introduced.