The employee who is entitled to childcare leave may submit a written request in paper or electronic form to the employer to reduce their working hours to no less than a half of full-time during the period when they were entitled to use such leave. The employer is obliged to grant the employee’s request.

The request shall be submitted 21 days before the commencement of the reduced working hours. If the request is submitted without due time, the employer shall reduce working time no later than 21 days from the date on which the request was submitted.

If the employee has used a part of childcare leave, that employee may use the reduced working hours referred to above for a period corresponding to the remaining period of childcare leave, but no longer than until the end of the calendar year in which the child reaches the age of 6 years. The use of the aforementioned reduced working hours does not reduce the amount of childcare leave.