By Vatican News
Five days paid leave for Vatican employees on the birth of a child; three paid days each month for parents of disabled children: These are two of the new provisions contained in the Rescript published Monday, Aug 11, which expands the protections and rights of employees of the Vatican City State in various areas.
The document, signed by the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, Maximino Caballero Ledo, was approved by Pope Leo XIV, who received Mr Caballero in audience on Jul 28.
During the audience, Mr Caballero presented to the Pope the resolutions of the ULSA Council—an organization composed of representatives of various entities of the Holy See and the Governorate, together with their respective employees.
Among the new measures in the Rescript—which amends certain paragraphs of the Consolidated Text of Benefits in Favour of the Family and the Rules for the Granting of the Family Allowance—is first of all that regarding paternity leave.
“The employee is entitled to five days of paid leave on the occasion of the birth of a child,” the document states. “The five days of leave, understood as working days, may be taken consecutively and/or in full-day increments, not in hours, within no more than thirty days from the event, under penalty of forfeiture of the right.”
For the five days of leave, the working father is entitled to “full pay, counted in all respects related to length of service.”
Families with children with disabilities
For families with children “in a situation of certified severity,” it is established that “the parents, alternately, are entitled each month to three days of paid leave, which may also be taken consecutively, provided that the child is not fully hospitalized in specialized institutions.”
“With a view to enabling greater availability of time for the care of the disabled family member,” the granting of leave—except in cases authorized by the competent authority—entails for the employee “the impossibility of carrying out other work activity,” and any authorization that may have been granted must be revoked.
The Rescript specifies that the clinical assessment of disability and the determination of its severity are carried out by a Medical Board, based on evaluation tables issued by the Higher Authority upon proposal of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Governorate. The judgment of this Board is “not subject to appeal.”
A family in which a person has been recognized by the Medical Board as severely disabled or incapacitated is entitled to the family allowance. This right also extends to holders of direct, indirect, or survivor Vatican pensions who have been recognized as severely disabled or incapacitated by the Medical Board.
Family allowances
With regard to family allowances, the Rescript clarifies that beneficiaries include families with “legitimate or legitimated children or their equivalent, over the age of 18”; if they are students, “during the period of secondary studies up to the maximum age of 20 years,” or “for the entire duration of university studies or studies recognized as equivalent by the Holy See, up to the maximum age of 26 years.” Such studies must be documented by a certificate of enrollment issued by the university. – Vatican News
