Breastfeeding Leave Request Spain (Solicitud de Permiso de Lactancia)

A Breastfeeding Leave Request Spain (Solicitud de Permiso de Lactancia) is a formal written notice used by an employee to exercise their statutory right to breastfeeding leave (permiso de lactancia) under Article 37.4 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (Real Decreto Legislativo 2/2015, de 23 de octubre), which grants workers the right to one hour of absence from work per day — divisible into two half-hour absences — for the nursing of a child under nine months of age. The permiso de lactancia is a paid leave entitlement — the worker receives their full salary during the absence — and is protected against dismissal under Ley Orgánica 3/2007 de Igualdad Efectiva de Mujeres y Hombres (LOI) and the Constitución Española 1978 Article 39.

Article 37.4 ET was substantially reformed to extend the right to both parents equally — following Real Decreto-Ley 6/2019 de medidas urgentes para garantía de la igualdad de trato y de oportunidades entre mujeres y hombres en el empleo y la ocupación, the right belongs to both parents, adoptive parents, or guardians with parental custody. In two-parent families where both parents are employed, only one parent can exercise the permiso de lactancia at a time.

Alternatively to the daily one-hour reduction, Article 37.4 ET allows the worker to accumulate the leave entitlement and take it as a continuous block of working days upon agreement with the employer. The Tribunal Supremo (Sala de lo Social, STS 18 June 2008) confirmed that the right to accumulate leave is exercisable when provided for in the applicable convenio colectivo or agreed with the employer individually.

The permiso de lactancia is fully paid — Article 37.4 ET specifies that the absence is remunerated at the employee's normal salary rate. Social security contributions continue during the absence as if the worker were working normally. The benefit is treated as salary (salario) under Article 26.1 ET and is therefore subject to IRPF withholding under Ley 35/2006.

The right to permiso de lactancia is reinforced by the strong anti-discrimination protections of Ley Orgánica 3/2007 (LOI). Article 53.4 ET provides that dismissal of a worker exercising a family-related right — including permiso de lactancia — is null and void (nulo) unless the employer proves an objective cause entirely unrelated to the exercise of the right. The Tribunal Constitucional has applied this presumption broadly in cases involving lactancia leave — STC 92/2008.

The legal framework governing the Breastfeeding Leave Request Spain (Solicitud de Permiso de Lactancia) in Spain draws on several key statutes and regulatory bodies. Under the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (ET) RDL 2/2015, Spanish employment law governs contracts, dismissals, and working conditions. The Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) administers social security contributions. The Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) manages unemployment benefits. The Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social enforces labour compliance. The Juzgados de lo Social hear employment disputes under the Ley Reguladora de la Jurisdicción Social (Ley 36/2011). Parties executing a Breastfeeding Leave Request Spain (Solicitud de Permiso de Lactancia) in Spain should confirm the document reflects current law, including any amendments enacted since the original drafting date. The Estatuto de los Trabajadores (RDL 2/2015), Article 37.4 sets the foundational requirements.

A Breastfeeding Leave Request Spain is needed whenever an employee (mother, father, or other legal guardian with custody) wishes to exercise their statutory permiso de lactancia under Article 37.4 ET for a child under nine months of age.

The request is required when an employee returns from maternity leave (permiso de maternidad/nacimiento — 16 weeks) or paternity leave (permiso de paternidad — 16 weeks) and wishes to activate the permiso de lactancia in the form of daily one-hour absence reductions. Most convenios colectivos specify 15 days' advance notice.

The request is needed when the employee elects to accumulate the permiso de lactancia as a continuous block of working days. Accumulation requires employer agreement or a specific convenio colectivo provision — the written request initiates the negotiation and documents the employee's preference.

A Breastfeeding Leave Request is also needed when both parents work for different employers and must coordinate which parent will exercise the right — since only one can exercise it at a time under Article 37.4 ET. The employer may request a certificate from the other parent's employer confirming non-simultaneous exercise.

The request is required when the applicable convenio colectivo extends the permiso de lactancia beyond the statutory minimum — for example, many sector convenios in banking (AEB convenio), education, and healthcare extend the child's age limit to 12 months or provide enhanced accumulation rights. The written request triggers the employer's obligation to apply the more favourable convenio terms under Article 3.3 ET.

Parties in Spain should prepare a Breastfeeding Leave Request Spain (Solicitud de Permiso de Lactancia) proactively rather than waiting for a dispute to arise. Courts interpret agreements based on the written terms rather than oral representations. Under the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (ET) RDL 2/2015, Spanish employment law governs contracts, dismissals, and working conditions. The Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) administers social security contributions. The Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) manages unemployment benefits. The Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social enforces labour compliance. The Juzgados de lo Social hear employment disputes under the Ley Reguladora de la Jurisdicción Social (Ley 36/2011). Where the transaction involves regulated activities, prior approval from the relevant authority may be required before execution.

A valid Breastfeeding Leave Request Spain under Estatuto de los Trabajadores Article 37.4 must contain the following key elements.

Employee Identification: Full name, DNI/NIE, job title (puesto de trabajo), professional group, work location, and department. The employee's employment contract start date and the date of the child's birth or adoption must be included.

Child's Information: The child's full name and date of birth, and where applicable, the registration certificate from the Registro Civil confirming parentage. For adoptive parents or guardians, the relevant judicial order (resolución judicial de adopción) must be referenced. The child's age determines the duration of the entitlement — it ends when the child turns nine months.

Type of Leave Requested: The form must clearly state whether the employee is requesting: (a) daily one-hour absence reduction (reducción de jornada de una hora diaria), specifying the preferred timing; (b) accumulation as continuous working days (acumulación en jornadas completas) with the requested start and end dates; or (c) split into two half-hour reductions at the beginning and end of the working day.

Other Parent's Situation: Where both parents are employed, a statement confirming whether the other parent is also exercising the permiso de lactancia, since simultaneous exercise is not permitted under Article 37.4 ET.

Duration and End Date: The calculated end date of the entitlement — the day before the child's ninth-month birthday — and the total number of working days or daily hours claimed.

Convenio Colectivo Reference: Identification of the applicable sector convenio colectivo and any provisions extending rights beyond the Article 37.4 ET minimum — since the more favourable condition prevails under Article 3.3 ET.

Signature and Date: The employee's signature and the date of the request. The employer must respond in writing. Employment disputes about the exercise of permiso de lactancia are resolved before the Juzgado de lo Social under Article 139 of Ley 36/2011 via a special urgent procedure (proceso especial).

Forms-legal.com provides this Breastfeeding Leave Request Spain template as a practical tool. Employees experiencing employer resistance to granting permiso de lactancia should consult an abogado laboralista or their trade union (CCOO or UGT) since refusal constitutes violation of a statutory fundamental right attracting null-dismissal protection under Article 53.4 ET.

Additional compliance elements for a Breastfeeding Leave Request Spain (Solicitud de Permiso de Lactancia) used in Spain include: Under the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (ET) RDL 2/2015, Spanish employment law governs contracts, dismissals, and working conditions. The Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) administers social security contributions. The Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) manages unemployment benefits. The Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social enforces labour compliance. The Juzgados de lo Social hear employment disputes under the Ley Reguladora de la Jurisdicción Social (Ley 36/2011). Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Spain-compliant documentation.