Italy to Add New Checks on Law 104 Leave Permits from 2026

Italy is preparing to introduce new checks and obligations related to Law 104, the legislation that grants leave to workers caring for family members with a disability, according to a report by Sanità Informazione.

The changes, due to take effect from 2026, will be overseen by INPS, Italy's national social security institute, which manages pensions, benefits and various forms of worker leave. Some adjustments are expected to begin earlier, in December, ahead of the broader rollout next year.

The report also indicates that parental leave, which allows parents to take time off work to care for their children, will be affected by the new rules. This suggests that the reform is not limited to disability-related leave but extends more broadly to family-related leave schemes administered by INPS.

Central to the changes is UNIEMENS, the electronic reporting system employers already use to transmit payroll and employment data to INPS. Under the new framework, UNIEMENS is expected to be used more extensively to monitor and verify how leave permits under Law 104 and parental leave schemes are actually used by workers and granted by employers.

While the summary does not detail the specific mechanics of the new checks, the overall direction points toward stricter monitoring of leave usage, likely aimed at reducing improper use of these benefits and ensuring compliance with eligibility requirements.

The precise obligations that will fall on employers and employees have not yet been fully clarified in the available reporting. However, the involvement of UNIEMENS suggests that much of the oversight will rely on data already collected through routine payroll reporting, rather than requiring entirely new administrative processes.

Businesses and workers are advised to watch for official communications from INPS in the coming months, as the December changes approach and the fuller 2026 framework is expected to be detailed in due course. Given the sensitivity of disability and family leave provisions in Italy, the reform is likely to attract attention from labour unions and advocacy groups representing caregivers.