Italy, Update of Country notes

European countries show remarkable differences in the articulation, rationale and purpose of leave policies. Without wanting to delve into specifically juridical matters, we shall aim to provide accurate, updated information on parental leaves in Italy and highlight the complexity of factors affecting the way the law is implemented. The data reveal in fact a wide gap between the possibility to apply the benefit as provided by the law and the actual use of paid leave by the parents. Different variables apparently influence the gap between the law and its application: Structural variables:  Work Type  Amount of Remuneration  Employment Sector (public or private) Cultural variables:  Recipients’ Gender  the presence of strong social and cultural conditioning to regard childcare as the mother’s responsibility;  the lack of a family-friendly culture in the negotiating actors. An unexpected and unwanted result: this measure, created to encourage greater sharing in the care of children, may paradoxically result in strengthening the male breadwinner model.