As of July 1, mothers or fathers returning to work, either full-time or part-time, after maternity or paternity leave will still be able to collect monthly child care benefits, under an amendment to the Law on Social Insurance Benefits.
Under the same amendment, the formula of calculating the lump-sum maternity leave benefit and the monthly child care benefit has been simplified. The benefits will be calculated based on the average monthly income earned during 12 calendar months prior to the occurrence of the insured event, provided that all social insurance contributions have been paid. Any gaps without income within that 12 months’ period can be balanced with equivalent periods from earlier.
If no income has been earned in the 12 months’ period because the beneficiary was on maternity leave during this period, the previous average income will be used to calculate the benefits.
Monthly child care benefits are payable from the day of the maternity leave until the child turns 3 years.
