Paternity leave is a type of leave that allows the father to spend more time with the child already in the first days of the child. According to Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the balance between the work and private life of parents and carers and on the repeal of Council Directive 2010/18/EU, the time should be at least 10 days. The directive also states that member states should provide the father with a reward or contribution, the so-called paternity benefit. The aim of the article is to evaluate the institution of paternity leave and paternity benefits in the EU states, if it concerns monitored parameters, which include the amount of paternity benefit, the length of paternity leave, the possibility of interrupting the period of drawing paternity leave or up to what age of the child it is possible to draw paternity leave.