Parents can be off work for long periods, single days or parts of days. Sixty of the allotted 480 days are reserved for each parent, and the other days can be transferred to either parent. As gender equality is a cornerstone of Swedish society, bonuses are given to couples who split their parental leave evenly. You are entitled to take leave up until your child is eight. Also, the state pays your salary while your child is sick: you simply get the nursery to fill in the right forms and you will receive 80 per cent of your salary while you are off work.