Maternity and Parenthood Support 

1) Maternity benefit (peněžitá pomoc v mateřství/ PPM) 

Maternity benefit is a financial benefit provided before childbirth or straight after the baby is born. For the first 6 weeks after delivery it’s intended for the mother exclusively; later on, it can be received by the father provided he meets the requirements mentioned below. The amount of the benefit is calculated based on the person’s income, and the time period for the payment can be as follows:

• Starting from 8-6 week before the due date, for the total amount of 28 weeks (37 weeks with twins).
• Starting from the baby’s birth date, for the total amount of 22 weeks (31 week with twins). 
• Starting from 6 weeks after the baby is born,  for the total amount of 22 weeks.

You can’t receive the maternity benefit for less than 14 weeks, and it can’t be ended earlier than 6 weeks after delivery. 

The sum of the benefit is calculated as 70% of the reduced daily assessment base per calendar day. The daily assessment base is usually calculated based on the income within the previous 12 months. For self-employed people, it’s calculated based on the monthly insurance premiums during the assessed period of time. 

The maximum amount of the benefit is 42 660 CZK per month. 

You can use this calculator to calculate the approximate amount: https://www.mpsv.cz/web/cz/kalkulacka-pro-vypocet-davek-v-roce-2023 

Conditions and Application Process:

The maternity benefit is a part of the sickness insurance. This type of insurance shouldn’t be confused with health insurance used to cover medical expenses. The sickness insurance is paid by the employer as part of the social insurance. Self-employed persons are entitled to maternity benefit only if they have been voluntarily paying the sickness insurance premiums for a specific amount of time. 

To apply for maternity benefit, you need to have active sickness insurance, and the insurance should be paid for at least 270 days within the last 2 years. In case of self-employed people, the insurance should be active for 180 days before receiving the benefit and it should be paid for at least 270 days within the last 2 years. The same applies to the father who would like to switch with his wife after the first six weeks. 

If you meet these conditions, stop by your gynaecologist’s office during your pregnancy, and s/he will issue the application form for you. You’d need to submit this form to your employer, and then it’ll be passed on to the relevant authorities. If you wish, or if you are self-employed, you can send the application form directly to the Czech Social Security Administration (CSSA/ ČSSZ). The CSSA has a month to process your application.

Whilst you’re receiving the maternity benefit, you can’t work full-time. Part-time work is possible though. After the maternity leave, a woman is entitled to come back to her previous job position full-time.