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Aanvullend geboorteverlof minst gebruikt door lage én hoge inkomens

Additional Birth Leave Least Used by Both Low- and High-Income Fathers

ESB, 2026
with Coen van de Kraats (Microdata Access Grant 2023) (AUF Impact Grant 2025)
English companion page for the Dutch ESB article on take-up of additional birth leave in the Netherlands.
Paper More results MAG 2023

Since July 2020, fathers in the Netherlands have been entitled to five weeks of additional paid birth leave — aanvullend geboorteverlof (AGV) — paid at 70 percent of the daily wage, up to a statutory cap. Fifty-nine percent of eligible fathers take it, but take-up is lowest at both ends of the income distribution — among the lowest- and the highest-earning fathers alike.

English Summary

We measure take-up by linking CBS birth records to UWV records of AGV benefit payments, covering births from July 2020 to June 2023. The sample is legal fathers with an employment contract around the month of birth: 361,031 births to 331,998 fathers.

Take-up rose sharply after the July 2020 introduction and then held steady (Figure 1). Most fathers who take AGV use the full five weeks. Administrative take-up is lower than survey-based estimates, which likely overstate use through selective response, social desirability, or confusion between leave schemes.

Figure language
Scatter plot of the share of eligible fathers who took additional birth leave by the child's month of birth, from January 2020 to mid-2023, with a vertical marker at the 1 July 2020 introduction and a dashed line at the overall average.
Dutch article figure showing monthly take-up of additional birth leave among fathers from January 2020 through mid-2023.
Figure 1. Take-up of additional birth leave among eligible fathers, by the child's birth month.
Take-up rises immediately after the July 2020 introduction and then stabilizes at around 60 percent.
Figuur 1. Gebruik van aanvullend geboorteverlof onder vaders, naar geboortemaand kind.
Het gebruik loopt op na de invoering in juli 2020 en stabiliseert rond de 60 procent.

The income gradient is U-shaped (Figure 2). Take-up is 37 percent in the bottom decile, rises to about 64 percent through the middle of the distribution, and falls back to 44 percent among the top five percent.

Figure language
Scatter plot of the share of eligible fathers who took additional birth leave by the father's income percentile, with markers at incomes of EUR 22k, 41k, 55k (the maximum daily wage), 72k, and 132k; take-up rises steeply at low incomes, plateaus through the middle, and falls at the top.
Dutch article figure showing additional birth leave take-up by the father's income percentile group.
Figure 2. Take-up of additional birth leave by the father's income percentile.
Take-up climbs steeply across low incomes, stays high through the middle of the distribution, and declines again near and above the maximum daily wage at the top.
Figuur 2. Gebruik van aanvullend geboorteverlof naar inkomenspercentielgroep van de vader.
Het gebruik stijgt snel onder lage inkomens, blijft hoog bij middeninkomens en daalt opnieuw bij topinkomens.

The two ends likely reflect different barriers: lost income deters low earners, while the wage cap and higher opportunity costs deter top earners. Take-up is also lower among fathers on temporary or small contracts, with fewer contract hours, without higher education, with a migration background, and with third or later-born children (Figure 3). These are descriptive patterns, not causal estimates — but they show where access to leave is uneven.

Figure language
Horizontal bar chart of mean take-up of additional birth leave across subgroups: fixed versus temporary contracts, medium or large versus micro or small employers, high versus low contract hours, higher versus basic education, Dutch versus foreign background, and first, second, and third-or-later births, with a dashed line at the overall average.
Dutch article bar chart showing additional birth leave take-up by fathers' contract type, employer size, contract hours, education, migration background, and birth order.
Figure 3. Take-up of additional birth leave by demographic and labour-market characteristics.
Take-up is lower among fathers with temporary contracts, smaller employers, fewer contract hours, less education, a foreign background, and higher birth order; the dashed line marks the overall average.
Figuur 3. Gebruik van aanvullend geboorteverlof naar demografie en arbeidsmarktkenmerken van vaders.
Het gebruik is lager bij vaders met kleinere of minder zekere banen, zonder hoger onderwijs, met een migratieachtergrond en met derde of later geboren kinderen.

Additional Results

These interactive figures add geographic and industry detail beyond the print article; each has an EN/NL toggle.

The map shades each municipality by its take-up rate (Figure 4). Click one for its rate and a 95 percent confidence interval. Read it as orientation rather than evidence — rates in small municipalities are noisy, so the national pattern matters more than any single place.

Explore municipalities

Figure 4. Take-up of additional birth leave by municipality.
Click a municipality to view its take-up rate with a 95% confidence interval and public municipal descriptors; read the map as descriptive orientation rather than causal evidence.

The ranking across two-digit SBI industries echoes the income, contract, and hours gradients above (Figure 5). Industries built on low-paid, temporary, or part-time work, such as hospitality, sit at the bottom, so it largely restates the earlier patterns rather than adding a new one.

Explore industries

Share of eligible fathers who took AGV, by industry (SBI 2008, 2-digit). The dashed line marks the overall mean (59%); whiskers show 95% confidence intervals.

  1. 97 Households as employers of domestic personnel97 Huishoudens als werkgever van huishoudelijk personeel fewer than 10 observations —
  2. 36 Collection and distribution of water36 Winning en distributie van water 84%
  3. 65 Insurance and pension funds (excluding compulsory social security)65 Verzekeringen en pensioenfondsen (geen verplichte sociale verzekeringen) 78%
  4. 21 Manufacture of pharmaceutical raw materials and products21 Vervaardiging van farmaceutische grondstoffen en producten 74%
  5. 71 Architects, engineers and technical design and consultancy; testing and inspection71 Architecten, ingenieurs en technisch ontwerp en advies; keuring en controle 73%
  6. 60 Producing and broadcasting radio and television programmes60 Verzorgen en uitzenden van radio- en televisieprogramma's 71%
  7. 06 Extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas06 Winning van aardolie en aardgas 71%
  8. 13 Manufacture of textiles13 Vervaardiging van textiel 71%
  9. 79 Travel agencies, tour operators, tourist information and reservation services79 Reisbemiddeling, reisorganisatie, toeristische informatie en reserveringsbureaus 71%
  10. 72 Research and development72 Speur- en ontwikkelingswerk 70%
  11. 28 Manufacture of other machinery and equipment28 Vervaardiging van overige machines en apparaten 70%
  12. 27 Manufacture of electrical equipment27 Vervaardiging van elektrische apparatuur 70%
  13. 11 Manufacture of beverages11 Vervaardiging van dranken 69%
  14. 35 Production, distribution and trade of electricity, natural gas, steam and refrigerated air35 Productie en distributie van en handel in elektriciteit, aardgas, stoom en gekoelde lucht 69%
  15. 24 Manufacture of basic metals24 Vervaardiging van metalen in primaire vorm 69%
  16. 20 Manufacture of chemical products20 Vervaardiging van chemische producten 68%
  17. 29 Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers29 Vervaardiging van auto's, aanhangwagens en opleggers 68%
  18. 26 Manufacture of computers and electronic and optical products26 Vervaardiging van computers en van elektronische en optische apparatuur 68%
  19. 69 Legal services, accountancy, tax advice and administration69 Rechtskundige dienstverlening, accountancy, belastingadvisering en administratie 68%
  20. 61 Telecommunications61 Telecommunicatie 67%
  21. 17 Manufacture of paper, board and paper and board products17 Vervaardiging van papier, karton en papier- en kartonwaren 67%
  22. 86 Human health activities86 Gezondheidszorg 67%
  23. 38 Waste collection and treatment; preparation for recycling38 Afvalinzameling en -behandeling; voorbereiding tot recycling 66%
  24. 30 Manufacture of other transport equipment30 Vervaardiging van overige transportmiddelen 66%
  25. 91 Cultural lending centres, public archives, museums, zoos and botanical gardens, nature conservation91 Culturele uitleencentra, openbare archieven, musea, dieren- en plantentuinen, natuurbehoud 66%
  26. 42 Civil engineering of land, water and roads (excluding earthmoving)42 Grond-, water- en wegenbouw (geen grondverzet) 66%
  27. 12 Manufacture of tobacco products12 Vervaardiging van tabaksproducten 66%
  28. 58 Publishing58 Uitgeverijen 65%
  29. 62 Information technology service activities62 Dienstverlenende activiteiten op het gebied van informatietechnologie 65%
  30. 41 General residential and non-residential construction and project development41 Algemene burgerlijke en utiliteitsbouw en projectontwikkeling 65%
  31. 10 Manufacture of food products10 Vervaardiging van voedingsmiddelen 65%
  32. 22 Manufacture of rubber and plastic products22 Vervaardiging van producten van rubber en kunststof 64%
  33. 18 Printing and reproduction of recorded media18 Drukkerijen, reproductie van opgenomen media 64%
  34. 87 Nursing, care and guidance with accommodation87 Verpleging, verzorging en begeleiding met overnachting 63%
  35. 19 Manufacture of coke oven products and petroleum refining19 Vervaardiging van cokesovenproducten en aardolieverwerking 63%
  36. 92 Lotteries and gambling92 Loterijen en kansspelen 63%
  37. 73 Advertising and market research73 Reclame en marktonderzoek 63%
  38. 66 Other financial services66 Overige financiële dienstverlening 63%
  39. 33 Repair and installation of machinery and equipment33 Reparatie en installatie van machines en apparaten 62%
  40. 25 Manufacture of fabricated metal products (excluding machinery and equipment)25 Vervaardiging van producten van metaal (geen machines en apparaten) 62%
  41. 52 Warehousing and support activities for transport52 Opslag en dienstverlening voor vervoer 62%
  42. 75 Veterinary services75 Veterinaire dienstverlening 61%
  43. 85 Education85 Onderwijs 61%
  44. 94 Religious and political organisations, interest and idealistic organisations, hobby clubs94 Levensbeschouwelijke en politieke organisaties, belangen- en ideële organisaties, hobbyclubs 61%
  45. 59 Production and distribution of films and television programmes; sound recording and music publishing59 Productie en distributie van films en televisieprogramma's; maken en uitgeven van geluidsopnamen 60%
  46. 84 Public administration, government services and compulsory social security84 Openbaar bestuur, overheidsdiensten en verplichte sociale verzekeringen 60%
  47. 23 Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products23 Vervaardiging van overige niet-metaalhoudende minerale producten 60%
  48. 43 Specialised construction activities43 Gespecialiseerde werkzaamheden in de bouw 59%
  49. 08 Mining and quarrying (excluding oil and gas)08 Winning van delfstoffen (geen olie en gas) 59%
  50. 51 Air transport51 Luchtvaart 59%
  51. 15 Manufacture of leather, leather goods and footwear15 Vervaardiging van leer, lederwaren en schoenen 58%
  52. 09 Support service activities for mining09 Dienstverlening voor de winning van delfstoffen 58%
  53. 31 Manufacture of furniture31 Vervaardiging van meubels 58%
  54. 46 Wholesale trade and commission trade (excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles)46 Groothandel en handelsbemiddeling (niet in auto's en motorfietsen) 58%
  55. 49 Land transport49 Vervoer over land 58%
  56. 88 Social work activities without accommodation88 Maatschappelijke dienstverlening zonder overnachting 57%
  57. 77 Renting and leasing of motor vehicles, consumer goods, machinery and other movable property77 Verhuur en lease van auto's, consumentenartikelen, machines en overige roerende goederen 57%
  58. 16 Primary wood processing and manufacture of articles of wood, cork, straw and plaiting materials (excluding furniture)16 Primaire houtbewerking en vervaardiging van artikelen van hout, kurk, riet en vlechtwerk (geen meubels) 56%
  59. 82 Other business support services82 Overige zakelijke dienstverlening 56%
  60. 78 Employment placement, temporary employment agencies and personnel management78 Arbeidsbemiddeling, uitzendbureaus en personeelsbeheer 55%
  61. 45 Trade and repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and trailers45 Handel in en reparatie van auto's, motorfietsen en aanhangers 55%
  62. 02 Forestry, logging and related service activities02 Bosbouw, exploitatie van bossen en dienstverlening voor de bosbouw 55%
  63. 63 Information service activities63 Dienstverlenende activiteiten op het gebied van informatie 55%
  64. 74 Industrial and graphic design, photography, translation and other consultancy74 Industrieel ontwerp en vormgeving, fotografie, vertaling en overige consultancy 55%
  65. 70 Holdings (non-financial), intra-group services and management consultancy70 Holdings (geen financiële), concerndiensten binnen eigen concern en managementadvisering 54%
  66. 68 Renting and trade of real estate68 Verhuur van en handel in onroerend goed 54%
  67. 80 Security and investigation80 Beveiliging en opsporing 54%
  68. 39 Remediation and other waste management39 Sanering en overig afvalbeheer 52%
  69. 03 Fishing and aquaculture of fish and shellfish03 Visserij en kweken van vis en schaaldieren 52%
  70. 55 Accommodation55 Logiesverstrekking 52%
  71. 47 Retail trade (excluding motor vehicles)47 Detailhandel (niet in auto's) 51%
  72. 90 Arts90 Kunst 51%
  73. 50 Water transport50 Vervoer over water 49%
  74. 53 Postal and courier activities53 Post en koeriers 49%
  75. 37 Sewerage collection and treatment37 Afvalwaterinzameling en -behandeling 48%
  76. 64 Financial institutions (excluding insurance and pension funds)64 Financiële instellingen (geen verzekeringen en pensioenfondsen) 47%
  77. 81 Facility management, cleaning and landscaping81 Facility management, reiniging en landschapsverzorging 45%
  78. 95 Repair of computers and consumer goods95 Reparatie van computers en consumentenartikelen 45%
  79. 93 Sports and recreation93 Sport en recreatie 45%
  80. 32 Manufacture of other goods32 Vervaardiging van overige goederen 44%
  81. 01 Agriculture, hunting and related service activities01 Landbouw, jacht en dienstverlening voor de landbouw en jacht 43%
  82. 14 Manufacture of wearing apparel14 Vervaardiging van kleding 43%
  83. 96 Wellness and other personal services; funeral industry96 Wellness en overige dienstverlening; uitvaartbranche 40%
  84. 56 Food and beverage service establishments56 Eet- en drinkgelegenheden 37%
  85. 99 Extraterritorial organisations and bodies99 Extraterritoriale organisaties en lichamen 25%
Figure 5. Take-up of additional birth leave by industry (SBI 2008, 2-digit).
Take-up is highest in utilities, insurance, and public-sector industries and lowest in hospitality and personal services; these gaps partly reflect the income, contract, and hours composition of each industry. Industries with fewer than 10 observations are suppressed.