Italy: Maternity rights and labor challenges for working mothers

In Italy, legislative provisions allow women to claim figurative pension contributions for periods of mandatory maternity leave, even if they were not employed at the time of childbirth. Under Article 25 of Legislative Decree no. 151/2001, these contributions are credited to the worker's record to fill gaps in their social security history. To qualify, a worker must eventually reach a minimum of five years of actual contributions in dependent employment, a threshold that can be met years after the birth.

In the Trentino region, data highlights growing challenges regarding work-life balance. In the first three months of 2026, 263 mothers submitted voluntary resignations during their child's first year, a figure that represents over 50% of the total recorded in 2025. Primary drivers for these departures include difficulties organizing childcare (27.5%) and rigid work schedules or heavy workloads (24%). Recent cases cited by the UIL union demonstrate that the refusal of part-time requests or inflexible shifts often leads to mothers leaving their positions due to mismatches with nursery school hours.