Maternity allowance.

Maternity benefit is an income replacement benefit during the statutory protection period before and after childbirth, during which a ban on employment and inability to work applies. Like other statutory provisions, maternity benefit serves to protect the expectant mother and child before, during and after the birth.

Carers are entitled to maternity benefit if they fulfil the following requirements:

PREREQUISITE #1: During the maternity benefit period, you must interrupt your gainful employment by means of a notification of suspension, starting on the last day before the start of maternity protection (end of the seventh month of pregnancy). You must also inform the SVS of this.

Please note!

This results in an exemption from compulsory insurance and the obligation to pay contributions, i.e. you do NOT pay any insurance contributions! You can also apply for the notification of suspension retroactively.

PREREQUISITE #2: If you were continuously covered by health insurance due to gainful employment in the six months immediately prior to the exemption from compulsory insurance. The SVS must be informed of your pregnancy at the latest at the beginning of the third last month before the expected date of delivery. You must submit a medical certificate from your gynaecologist confirming the expected date of delivery.

Self-employed women receive maternity benefit:

• during the last 8 weeks before the expected delivery
• on the day of delivery itself
• during the first 8 weeks after the birth.

Attention!

There are special cases:

e.g. in the case of multiple births, premature births or a caesarean section, the protection period is increased; these must be justified with specialist medical evidence.