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Parental Leave Calculator

Enter your leave start date and length to find your return date.

Return-to-work date

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What this calculator does

This online calculator adds your parental, maternity, or paternity leave length in weeks to your leave start date to find your exact return-to-work date — useful for planning childcare, notifying your employer, or coordinating with a partner's own leave schedule.

Worked example

Leave starting September 2, 2026 for 12 weeks gives a return-to-work date ofNovember 25, 2026.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming leave length is the same everywhere. Legal minimums and employer policies vary enormously by country and company — confirm your specific entitlement before relying on a default figure.
  • Forgetting a leave start date tied to delivery. If leave begins on a baby's actual birth date rather than a planned due date, the return date shifts along with it.
  • Not accounting for phased returns. Some employers allow a gradual return (part-time weeks before full-time) — this calculator shows the standard full return date only.

Frequently asked questions

Does this calculator know my country's legal leave entitlement?+

No — parental, maternity, and paternity leave lengths vary hugely by country, employer, and leave type. Enter the specific number of weeks that applies to your situation from your employer's policy or local law.

Can I use this for maternity, paternity, or shared parental leave?+

Yes — the calculation is the same regardless of leave type: start date plus leave length gives your return-to-work date.

Does this account for extending leave with paid time off or vacation days?+

No — enter your total combined leave length (including any extension) as a single number of weeks for an accurate return date.

What if my leave start date depends on my due date, which could change?+

If your leave starts on delivery rather than a fixed date, treat this as an estimate and recalculate once the actual start date is confirmed.

How do you calculate a parental leave return-to-work date?+

Add the number of weeks of leave to your leave start date — a maternity, paternity, or parental leave calculator like this one does that addition for you and accounts for the calendar automatically, so you don't have to count weeks by hand.

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