In this episode of 'The Real Life in Italy,' I’m taking you for another technical, bureaucratic journey to understand maternity leave in Italy, but not only. I’ll also cover paternity leave, and the options for parental leave in Italy. Italy has both “obligatory” leave for parents, and optional extended maternity and paternity that can still be paid leave. As expats in Italy, I think it is so important to understand the benefits we have access to under our Italian social security, and it’s important to understand how to access them. I hope this episode will help you make your life in Italy, as a soon-to-be mom, a little easier. I cover who is eligible for maternity benefits, how to apply for and use these benefits, and the financial aspects of both maternity and paternity leave. I’m covering rights for contract employees, freelancers in Italy, adoptive parents, and single parents within the Italian system. This episode aims to provide a comprehensive guide to navigating the bureaucratic landscape of parental leave in Italy. As I mentioned in the episode, the CAF and Patronato may be your friend when applying for leave, here’s a blog explaining those more in depth. https://collineallemontagne.com/what-is-a-patronato-or-a-caf-in-italy/ TimeStamps: 02:40 Eligibility for Maternity Leave 04:23 Maternity Leave for Contracted Employees 08:39 Maternity Leave for Freelancers 11:37 Applying for Maternity Leave 15:30 Paternity Leave and Parental Leave 21:01 Single Parents and Conclusion ____ This Episode of The Real Life in Italy was sponsored by Doctorsa.com A network of English speaking doctors in Italy, and Europe, available for in-person or video call appointments 24/7.Find out more: https://bit.ly/DoctorsaRealLife______ If you enjoyed the episode, and show, please leave us a 5 ⭐️ rating, it means a lot! Thanks for listening to the Real Life in Italy. This podcast is for foreigners living in Italy, who are all just trying to make sense of it all. Listen in to learn all about a side of living in Italy everyone else forgot to tell you about. But don’t expect us all to be better, I promise. Expect some good laughs, helpful tips and cultural explanations, and expat stories to remind you that you aren’t alone, and it’ll all work out. Learn more about Evelyn at www.collineallemontagne.com www.instagram.com/collinemontagne You can show your support by buying me a glass of wine, I always appreciate it: www.buymeacoffee.com/colline