Lawyer: fathers of large families in Belarus are entitled to an extra day of rest per week

A mother or father raising three or more children under 16 is entitled, on application, to one additional day of rest per week. This was stated on 21 October by Halina Kamarouskaya, a lawyer of the Minsk Bar Association. The basis is Article 265 of the Labour Code of the Republic of Belarus.

Article 265 provides an additional free day for parents of large families. According to private Belarusian outlets operating in the country, an employer may not refuse it if the family has three or more children under 16. In an explanation concerning a specific institution, the same outlets note that its collective agreement also provides for an additional day off per month with average daily earnings retained.

The topic is being discussed against the backdrop of a separate initiative by the ministry. On 15 October the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection prepared an information review of measures that, in its wording, allow fathers to take an active part in raising children without harming their work. Among the main guarantees is short-term leave of up to 14 calendar days within six months of a child's birth. The review was written by the agency responsible for this policy, so it is that agency's interpretation of the current rules.

Materials on childcare leave give an example: the leave can be split, so that for the first two years the mother stays at home with the baby, and in the third year the father takes the leave.

On 20 October, Belarusian state media reported that families with three or more children under 16, or with a child with a disability under 18, are provided with additional free days. According to the same reports, the right to leave and to the benefit belongs not only to parents but also to working grandmothers and grandfathers.

For the duration of the leave, the father is assigned a monthly state benefit. The mother's benefit is paid until the end of the month in which she submitted an application to stop the payment, and the father can take the leave immediately after presenting a certificate. It is not yet known what the amount of this benefit is or how it is calculated.

For comparison: general days off are due to all employees, and with a five-day working week that is one day off per week. The additional day under Article 265 is added to it only for those who meet the conditions of having a large family.

Rules on additional days for parents have been heard before. In February 2025 the Ministry of Labour said that parents raising two children under 16 are entitled to one additional day off per month. In June 2025 the ministry said that such parents may claim one or several paid days of rest per month.