Maternity leave is a time off from work, to which the mother is entitled before and after the birth of a child, and the child’s father can also partially take advantage of it. Maternity leave in Poland, as in many other countries, is regulated by law, providing protection for the mother’s workplace and financial support. Maternity leave 2024 – see for what period it is due, who can take it and how much the maternity allowance is.
This article will provide you with knowledge about:
- Maternity leave 2024 – how long does it last and who is entitled to it?
- Maternity leave – when do we count it?
- Maternity leave 2024 – do you need to submit an application?
- Maternity allowance 2024
- Maternity leave 2024 – the amount of maternity leave
- Maternity and parental leave 2024
- Maternity leave 2024 – the most important information
Maternity leave 2024 – how long does it last and who is entitled to it?
Every employee who has an employment contract is entitled to maternity leave. If you are employed on the basis of a contract of mandate or a contract for specific work, you are entitled to it only if the contract contains appropriate provisions that give you the opportunity to excuse your absence from work when you give birth to a child. Self-employed people cannot take advantage of the privilege of maternity leave.
The issue is different in the case of maternity benefit, which will be received by all mothers who are covered by sickness insurance on the day of the child’s birth.
Are you wondering how long maternity leave lasts? For a woman who has given birth to one child from one pregnancy, it is 20 weeks.
The length of maternity leave depends on the number of children born at one birth.
Maternity leave – how long does it last when more children are born?
Caring for twins, triplets or quintuplets is a very demanding task. A longer maternity leave is due to the birth of a larger number of children.
Article 180 of the Labour Code clearly defines how much maternity leave is:
- 20 weeks – in the case of a birth at one child;
- 31 weeks – in the case of giving birth to two children at one birth;
- 33 weeks – in the case of giving birth to three children at one birth;
- 35 weeks – in the case of giving birth to four children at one birth;
- 37 weeks – in the case of giving birth to five or more children at one birth.
When sextuplets or hepuplets are born, maternity leave is 37 weeks, as this is its maximum duration.
Additional maternity leave
The additional maternity leave no longer functions, it was in force until 2016 and amounted to 6 weeks after the birth of one child or 8 weeks in the case of multiple pregnancies. The additional maternity leave was included in the pool of parental leave.
Maternity leave – when do we count it?
The question of when maternity leave is counted is very simple. It starts on the day of delivery, but you can take it earlier. In the following part of the article, we explain when maternity leave can be used before childbirth.
Maternity leave 2024 – taking time off before the birth
You can take maternity leave even before the birth of the child, for this purpose you must submit an appropriate application to your employer. You are entitled to a maximum of 6 weeks of maternity leave before the expected date of delivery. In such a situation, after the birth, you are entitled to a correspondingly reduced amount of maternity leave.
How long does maternity leave last?
The question of how long maternity leave lasts is not clear to many people. You need to use the 14 weeks, this is the time to calmly recover and take care of the newborn. You can still spend the remaining 6 weeks on vacation or give them to the child’s father.
Maternity leave after 14 weeks is no longer compulsory, you can resign from it voluntarily and return to work provided that the leave is used by the father raising the child or he interrupts his paid activity in order to take personal care of the child.
It is worth bearing in mind that you cannot take maternity leave at the same time.
Maternity leave 2024 – do you need to submit an application?
If you are employed under an employment contract, you are entitled to maternity and parental leave, as well as maternity benefit. You are entitled to maternity leave from the day of delivery at the latest, and although you do not have to apply for maternity leave, you can do so as it will make it easier for your employer to plan organizational matters.
Sometimes it happens that the birth begins prematurely, in which case you do not have to inform your employer about the birth of your child right away. You can notify him when you regain your strength, the child’s birth certificate will be used as an excuse. You are entitled to maternity leave by law, your employer cannot refuse to grant you it.
The case is different in the case of parental leave, which requires the submission of an appropriate application.
What should be included in an application for parental leave?
Within 21 days from the date of delivery, you should submit an application for parental leave to your employer. The amount of maternity allowance depends on compliance with this deadline, so it is worth remembering to provide the employer with the application and other necessary documents.
An application for parental leave should include:
- the place and date;
- Your employer’s details
- Your name;
- the child’s name and surname;
- date of delivery;
- a request for leave;
- the date of the start and end of the leave;
- Your signature.
Attach a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a statement on the use of paternity leave to the application.
Maternity allowance 2024
Maternity allowance (commonly referred to as “maternity” allowance) is a cash benefit to which an insured person is entitled in connection with the birth of a child. This allowance is intended to partially replace the income lost by the parent during maternity leave, leave under the conditions of maternity leave, parental leave or in the case of taking paternity leave.
Who will receive maternity benefit 2024?
You will receive maternity allowance if you have sickness insurance or are on parental leave. You must submit a written application to the Social Insurance Institution for payment of maternity allowance no later than 21 days after the birth.
Unfortunately, when a woman is not covered by sickness insurance on the day of delivery, she is not entitled to maternity benefit.
When to apply for maternity benefit?
You can apply for maternity benefit before the birth or up to 21 days after the birth of the child.
Maternity allowance – how long does it last?
Maternity Allowance is paid for the period of maternity leave, parental leave and paternity leave.
When is maternity benefit paid?
Maternity allowance financed by ZUS is paid immediately, no later than within 30 days from the date of submission of all necessary documents.
The contribution payer (employer) pays the benefits on the dates adopted for the payment of remuneration.
Maternity leave 2024 – the amount of maternity leave
The amount of maternity allowance depends on the average monthly income for the last 12 calendar months:
- in the case of persons employed under an employment contract, it is the average monthly salary paid by the employer;
- In the case of people employed under a contract of mandate or running their own business, this is the amount on which the sickness insurance contribution is paid.
Maternity allowance – how much is it?
It is worth bearing in mind that the amount of maternity allowance depends on the date of submitting the application, so it is good to remember about timeliness.
- Maternity allowance for the period of maternity leave, leave under the conditions of maternity leave and paternity leave is granted in the amount of 100% of the basis for calculating the allowance.
- If you submit your application within 21 days after the birth, the maternity allowance for the period of maternity leave and full-time parental leave will amount to 81.5% of the basis for its calculation for all periods. This application cannot concern 9 weeks of parental leave in the part that is only available to the other parent, in which case the maternity allowance is always granted in the amount of 70% of the allowance assessment basis.
- If you apply later than 21 days after the birth of your child, you will be entitled to maternity benefit in the amount of:
- 100% of the allowance assessment basis for the period determined as the period of maternity leave and for the period up to 6 weeks (in the case of giving birth to one child) or up to 8 weeks (in the case of giving birth to multiple children)
- and only 60 percent of the allowance calculation basis for the remaining part of parental leave. Detailed information on this subject is provided by the official website of ZUS.
On maternity allowance, the benefit payer, i.e. your employer or the Social Insurance Institution, calculates contributions for retirement and disability insurance.
Who pays maternity pay?
The question of who pays maternity benefit depends on how many people your employer employs.
When do the Social Insurance Institution Branches determine and pay benefits?
- ZUS pays maternity allowance to the insured whose employers (contribution payers) employ less than 20 people.
Who pays maternity pay when the contribution payer registers more than 20 people for sickness insurance?
- When the employer (contribution payer) employs more than 20 people, it is the employer who is obliged to pay maternity benefit.
Maternity and parental leave 2024
Maternity and parental leave are not the same thing. Maternity leave usually lasts 20 weeks (in the case of giving birth to one child), the mother is entitled to it up to 6 weeks before the birth and in the appropriate amount after the birth. When a mother wants to return to work after 14 weeks of maternity leave, she can transfer the remainder of the leave to the father.
Parental leave is time for childcare, available to both the mother and the child’s father.
You can take maternity and parental leave immediately or return to work after maternity leave. You are entitled to take parental leave before the end of the calendar year in which your child turns 6.
Maternity and parental leave
After the birth, the child’s mother must regain her strength, take care of her health and provide care for the newborn, maternity leave gives her time for this.
On the other hand, you have more than 6 years to use parental leave, you can switch to it immediately after maternity leave or return to work and use your free time in another period. Parental leave is taken in a series or in a maximum of five parts.
Importantly, the child’s mother and father can be on parental leave at the same time.
Parental and maternity leave – how long does parental leave last?
The length of maternity and parental leave is not the same. Above, we have described how you can take time off before and immediately after the birth of your child.
Parental leave is granted to the mother and father of the child, and each parent has the exclusive right to take advantage of 9 weeks.
The total pool of parental leave is:
- 41 weeks, when one child from one pregnancy is born;
- 43 weeks when more children will be born from one pregnancy.
The use of the exclusive right to parental leave by one of the parents means a reduction in this pool, so one parent can use the maximum:
- 32 weeks of parental leave, in the case of one child from one pregnancy;
- 34 weeks when more children will be born from one pregnancy.
It is worth remembering that when one of the parents does not use their 9 weeks of parental leave, this part is forfeited.
Maternity leave 2024 – the most important information
- Maternity leave is available to all women who are employed under an employment contract and have given birth to a child;
- women who have given birth to one child are entitled to 20 weeks of maternity leave ;
- Once you have taken 14 weeks of maternity leave, you can transfer the remainder to the child’s father;
- you have the option of taking up to 6 weeks of maternity leave before the birth;
- You don’t have to apply for maternity leave, but you can do it;
- you must apply for parental leave within 21 days of the date of delivery;
- the condition for receiving maternity benefit is to have sickness insurance;
- the payment of maternity benefit by ZUS takes place no later than within 30 days from the date of submission of the necessary documents.
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Nika Walęcka
Copywriter, author of articles with practical advice that will help you look for satisfying employment. It provides a lot of information that is useful in preparing applications, conducting job interviews and building a professional image.
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