Paternity in Bulgaria — rights and benefit (2026)

The 15-day paternity leave

Reforms to the Labor Code from 2014 onwards established a separate paid paternity leave — promoted by European directives and codified in Art. 163(7) LC. Before that, fathers could only take leave for caring for a sick child or use paid annual leave. Today they have their own time for the first two weeks with the newborn — regardless of whether the mother is insured.

When the leave starts

The 15 days are taken in one block and begin on the day the child is discharged from a medical facility (maternity hospital). This is a key difference from maternity leave, which starts 45 days before the expected date of birth. The father cannot split the 15 days — they must be taken at once.

Documents

• Written request to the employer to take the leave;
• Birth certificate of the child;
• Discharge document from the maternity hospital (for the start date).

Benefit amount

90% of the average daily insurance income for the last 24 calendar months before the month of leave. The benefit cannot be less than the minimum wage, nor exceed the amount calculated on the maximum insurance income (BGN 4,130 for 2026).

Conditions for receiving the benefit

• The father must be legally married to the mother or have established paternity (recognition or court decision);
• At the time of leave he must be in an employment or service relationship, or be a self-insured person;
• At least 12 months of insurance length for general illness and maternity (Art. 50 SIC);
• A request filed with the employer with the documents above.

If the father does not meet the NSSI conditions (e.g. fewer than 12 months of insurance), the 15 days of leave are still taken but no NSSI benefit is paid. The employer is not obliged to pay these days — they remain unpaid, unless the employer voluntarily covers them.

Transferring maternity after month 6

The bigger option for fathers comes after the child's 6th month. Under Art. 163(8) LC the mother may transfer with written consent the remainder of the 410-day leave to the father (or to one of his parents — grandparents, provided they are in employment).

This is a real lever for couples in which the father has the higher insurance income, or in which the mother's career path can continue. During the transferred leave:

• The NSSI benefit is 90% of the father's insurance income (not the mother's);
• The father gains Art. 333 LC dismissal protection as someone on leave for raising a child;
• The father's employer is obliged to reinstate him on the same or an equivalent position (Art. 167 LC);
• The mother returns to work without losing her own Art. 333 protection as a mother of a child under 3.

Leave for raising up to age 2 — for the father

Under Art. 167a LC, the leave for raising a child up to age 2 can be taken by the father instead of the mother (with the mother's written consent). Conditions are the same: employment relationship, written request, documents.

The benefit during this leave is a fixed amount set by the State Social Insurance Budget — it does not depend on the salary of the parent taking the leave. So the difference between "90% of salary" and "fixed benefit" applies to the two periods — the 410-day period and the period up to age 2.

Protection and reinstatement

During the paternity leave and any transferred leave, the protection under Art. 333(1)(4) LC applies — the employer cannot terminate the contract on most grounds without permission from ИА ГИТ. After the leave ends, the employer is obliged to reinstate the employee on the same or an equivalent position (Art. 167 LC).

Outside of leave, Bulgarian law (in the current Code) does not provide specific dismissal protection on the basis of being a "father of a child under 3" — that protection is explicit for the mother under Art. 333(1)(1) LC.

Practical recommendations

• Notify the employer of the 15 days in writing in advance where possible — it helps with planning.
• Keep a copy of the birth certificate and the discharge document — they are part of the NSSI file.
• If you plan to take over the maternity after month 6, discuss with the employer 1–2 months in advance. The receiving party (the father) also submits a request with their employer.
• Compare 90% of your insurance income with 90% of the mother's — this is the number that can make transfer financially worth it or not.
• Note that the NSSI typically pays the benefit within 15 working days after the employer submits the documents.

Frequently asked questions