1. Rights that have been acquired or that are in the process of being acquired by workers on the date on which leave provided for in Articles 4, 5 and 6 or time off from work provided for in Article 7 starts shall be maintained until the end of such leave or time off from work. At the end of such leave or time off from work, those rights, including any changes arising from national law, collective agreements or practice, shall apply.

2. Member States shall ensure that, at the end of leave provided for in Articles 4, 5 and 6, workers are entitled to return to their jobs or to equivalent posts on terms and conditions which are no less favourable to them, and to benefit from any improvement in working conditions to which they would have been entitled had they not taken the leave.

3. Member States shall define the status of the employment contract or employment relationship for the period of leave provided for in Articles 4, 5 and 6, or time off from work provided for in Article 7, including as regards entitlements to social security, including pension contributions, while ensuring that the employment relationship is maintained during that period.