Family benifits and income: Maternity leave
Maternity leave is intended for preparation for the birth, childcare immediately after birth, and for the protection of the mother’s health upon the birth and after.
Maternity leave normally commences 28 days before the expected date of the childbirth and lasts 105 days. After the maternity leave, the parental leave which lasts a further 260 days commences.
Maternity leave lasts 105 days. The mother commences the maternity leave 28 days before the expected date of the childbirth determined by the gynaecologist.
Maternity leave is used in a continuous series in the form of full absence from work.
Up to 60 days before the expected date of the childbirth, report to your social work centre where you will learn about the following procedures and rights.
If you are employed, you must notify your employer about the commencement of the maternity leave in writing at least 30 days before the commencement of the leave. If you did not notify your employer prior to the childbirth, you or your relative must do so within three days after the childbirth.
If on the date of the childbirth you have not commenced the maternity leave yet, it will commence automatically on the date of the childbirth; the unused part of it cannot be taken after the childbirth.
The maternity leave is applied for at the social work centre where you have registered permanent residence. Here, you must pay attention to the following:
- up to 60 days before the expected date of the childbirth, report to your social work centre where you will learn about all following procedures and rights related to the parental protection insurance;
- at least 30 days before the commencement of the maternity leave, notify your employer about it;
- if you give birth to a child before you have notified the employer about the commencement of the maternity leave, you must do so within three days after the childbirth, unless your state of health does not allow it; in this case, one of your relatives should notify the employer or request help from the medical service;
- if you, as an expectant mother, enter into employment 58 days or less before the expected date of the childbirth, you must notify the employer about the commencement of the maternity leave at the conclusion of the employment relationship.
Until April 2014, the term maternity leave was used for the maternity leave while the parental leave was called the leave for child care.