Italy to Add New Checks on Law 104 Leave Permits from 2026
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In Italy, Law 104 allows workers to take special leave to care for family members with a disability. From 2026, the social security agency INPS will introduce new checks on how this leave is used.
The changes will also affect parental leave, which parents use to take time off to care for their children. Some new rules will already start in December, before the main changes in 2026.
According to the report, companies and workers will face new obligations. This means there will be specific duties they must follow when requesting or managing this leave.
A key part of the changes involves UNIEMENS, a reporting system that companies use to send worker and payroll information to INPS. Under the new rules, UNIEMENS will likely play a bigger role in tracking how leave permits are used.
The purpose of the changes appears to be improving monitoring of leave requests, making sure they are used correctly according to the law. However, the exact details of the new checks and obligations have not been fully explained in the available information.
Workers and employers in Italy will need to watch for official updates from INPS as December approaches, since the first set of changes is expected to begin then. More specific rules are expected to take effect at the start of 2026.
Vocabulary6 words
- Law 104
- an Italian law; gives leave to workers caring for disabled family members
- INPS
- the main Italian social security agency; manages worker benefits
- parental leave
- paid or unpaid time off work; used by parents for childcare
- obligations
- duties; things a person or company must legally do
- UNIEMENS
- a digital system; companies use it to report worker data to INPS
- monitoring
- watching something closely; checking it is correct
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Leave to care for disabled family members 2. Companies use it to report worker information to INPS 3. Some start in December, others in 2026
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
In Italy, Law 104 allows workers to take special _____ to care for family members with a disability. From 2026, the social security agency _____ will introduce new checks on how this leave is used.
The changes will also affect _____ leave, which parents use to take time off to care for their children. Some new rules will already start in _____, before the main changes in 2026.
According to the report, companies and workers will face new _____. This means there will be specific duties they must follow.
A key part of the changes involves _____, a reporting system that companies use to send worker and payroll information to INPS.
The purpose of the changes appears to be improving _____ of leave requests, making sure they are used correctly according to the law.
Discussion questions
- Why might governments want to check how disability or parental leave is used?
- What challenges could workers face with new reporting obligations?
- Do you think digital systems like UNIEMENS make rules easier or harder to follow?
- How common are family-care leave laws in your country?
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