Maternity pay if you are receiving a benefit

Even if you are not receiving an unemployment, sickness or WGA benefit, you will still qualify for maternity pay if 1 of the following situations applies to you:

• Your unemployment or sickness benefit has ended, but your due date is set to fall within 10 weeks of your benefit ending.
• Your employment contract has ended, but your due date is set to fall within 10 weeks of your employment ending.

You will be entitled to paid maternity leave for at least 16 weeks. Keep in mind that 4 to 6 weeks of this leave must be taken in one go right before your expected due date. After giving birth, you will be entitled to a minimum of 10 weeks’ paid leave. You must take at least 6 of these 10 weeks right away after giving birth.

Please note: If you are going to have a multiple birth, you will be entitled to at least 20 weeks’ maternity leave. You must take 8 to 10 weeks of this leave in one go right before your expected due date.

If your baby arrives early, you can add any unused maternity leave from before the birth to your leave after the birth. If your baby comes late, you will still be entitled to a minimum of 10 weeks’ leave after giving birth.

You will also be entitled to more than 10 weeks’ leave if your newborn has to be hospitalised for more than 7 days after the birth.

You will usually be entitled to your full average daily income (‘dagloon’) while on maternity leave. We will calculate this average based on the benefit you were receiving before your maternity leave started. You will receive your maternity pay on a weekly basis.

Please note: Your maternity pay will not be more than the highest average daily income (‘maximumdagloon’).

• If your illness was caused by pregnancy, you will be entitled to a sickness benefit that is 100% of your full average daily income. You will receive this benefit until your paid maternity leave starts.
• If your illness was not caused by pregnancy, you will continue to receive an unemployment benefit until your maternity leave starts. If this benefit ends before your maternity leave begins, you will receive a sickness benefit until your leave starts.
• If you fall ill in the 2-week period that marks the start of your maternity leave (‘flexibiliseringsperiode’), you will be entitled to a sickness benefit for the days that you are ill before your maternity leave begins.

Please note: Any days that you are ill within this 2-week period before your maternity leave begins, will be subtracted from your maternity leave after giving birth.

• If you are still ill during your pregnancy, your sickness benefit will continue until your paid maternity leave starts.
• If your illness is due to pregnancy, your benefit will equal 100% of your average daily income instead of 70%.
• If you fall ill in the 2-week period that marks the start of your maternity leave (‘flexibiliseringsperiode’), you will be entitled to a sickness benefit for the days that you are ill before your maternity leave begins. This benefit will equal 100% of your full average daily income.

Please note: Any days that you are ill within this 2-week period before your maternity leave begins, will be subtracted from your maternity leave after giving birth.

If you become ill during your pregnancy, you will continue to receive your WGA benefit until your paid maternity leave starts.

If you fall ill while on maternity leave, your maternity pay will continue as usual irrespective of the reason for your illness. This rule applies no matter which benefit you were receiving previously.

If you are receiving an unemployment benefit and become ill after your maternity leave ends, you will qualify for a sickness benefit. Should pregnancy or childbirth have been the cause of your illness, you will receive 100% of your average daily income instead of 70%.

If you were receiving a sickness benefit before your maternity leave started and are still ill, or fell ill again, after your leave ended, you will receive a sickness benefit. Call us to find out more.

If you are entitled to a WGA benefit, you will continue to receive this benefit while you are ill.

If you are receiving an unemployment or sickness benefit and have a miscarriage or abortion in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, you will receive a sickness benefit for the period you are ill. If you were already receiving a sickness benefit, this will be increased to 100% of your average daily income instead of 70%.

If you are receiving a WGA benefit, you will continue to receive this benefit for the period you are ill.

Should you give birth prematurely or experience a stillbirth after the 24th week of pregnancy, you will still be entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave. You will be entitled to this leave irrespective of whether you were receiving an unemployment, sickness or WGA benefit.

You will need to meet the following obligations while on maternity leave:

• You must ensure the information you give us is accurate (for example, your contact details, your living situation).
• You must inform us of a change in your circumstances within 1 week of that change occurring (for example, if your contact details change, your living situation changes or you move abroad).
• You must let us know if you give birth before your maternity leave starts.
• You must let us know if you would like to change the start date of your maternity leave and/or pay.
• You must respond to our letters and messages on time.