Duration of maternity leave

As soon as an employee learns of her pregnancy, she is obliged to inform the employer about it and the estimated date of birth. The employer reports this to the supervisory authority and the maternity protection applies. The employer may not pass this information on to third parties.

The expectant mother may be required to provide proof of the doctor or midwife. In the context of the maternity protection there is the so-called protection period, which is basically 14 weeks: The last 6 weeks before the planned date of birth and the first 8 weeks after that the expectant mother is not allowed to work. The maternity protection period usually begins 6 weeks before the determined date of birth and ends 8 weeks after the delivery.

In the case of a premature or multiple birth or if the newborn is confirmed to be disabled, the protection period after the birth is extended to 12 weeks. In case of multiple pregnancies (e.g.B. with twins) is incumbent on the nut/mother an extension of the maternity protection on twelve weeks after the delivery. In the case of a premature birth, the maternity leave is extended by the period of time the mother could not take advantage of before the delivery.

Maternity leave benefit

In general, an employee is paid a maximum of 13 € per day by the health insurance company during the protection period and for the day of delivery. However, the amount actually paid is based on the average net salary of the last 3 months. If the average net salary is less than 390 € per month, then only the health insurance company covers the costs, if it is higher, then the employer also contributes.

Every employed expectant mother who is legally or privately health insured is entitled to maternity protection benefits. Also independent but voluntarily legally insured pregnant women receive maternity protection money. Women who change from a civil servant to an employee during the protection period or whose employment relationship is terminated during the protection period are also entitled to maternity benefit.

The maternity allowance is applied for at the pregnant woman’s health insurance company. The application can be submitted at the earliest seven weeks before the calculated date of delivery. The doctor’s certificate should not be older than one week.

Alternatively, an application must be submitted on the website of the Federal Insurance Institution www. mutterschaftsgeld. de/online with further documents. The maternity protection calculator enables the calculation of the maternity benefit due daily during the protection period before the expected date of birth. The maternity allowance is calculated on the basis of the net monthly salary earned in the last three months before the start of the protection period.