You can be entitled to unemployment benefits after childbirth in accordance with the conditions of entitlement to unemployment benefits.
It is important to know that reporting to Employment Service is one of the conditions of entitlement to unemployment benefits - for more information about reporting, click here.
Besides, you will not be able to receive unemployment benefits for the period of time you were paid maternity allowance by the National Insurance Institute.
The reason for which you have stopped working has an impact on your eligibility for unemployment benefits:
Dismissals
If you were dismissed during or by the end of a period of payment of maternity allowance, you may be entitled to unemployment benefits as of the date of dismissal or the date of the end of the period of unemployment benefit payment (whichever is later), and in accordance to your first reporting to Employment Service.
Please note, the employer is forbidden to dismiss a female worker who is in maternity leave and for 60 days following the maternity leave (under the Women Labor Law).
Resignation due to childbirth
If you have stopped working on your on will after childbirth, without justified reason - you will be able to receive unemployment benefits only after 90 days since resignation date and in accordance to your first reporting to Employment Service.
You must bring an authorization from your former employer regarding the exact day you have stopped working.
If you stopped working for justified reason - you can be entitled to unemployment benefits as a dismissed woman, without waiting 90 days. To that end, you have to bring the documents relevant to the reason of resignation.
Examples of justified resignation after childbirth:
- Uncommon working hours - the work requires extensive hours, shifts or splits.
- Distance from workplace - the distance between your workplace and your home is above 40 km, or there is no regular public transportation to your workplace.
- Absence of "Mother's part-time job" - the employer is unable or unwilling to employ you in a mother's part-time job, as required by the Women Labor Law.
- Worsening conditions - the employer significantly worsened your working conditions, in comparison with the conditions in which you were working prior to your birth and parenthood period of leave.
- Health condition - due to your health condition or that of a family member (one of the parents, spouse, child, grandson, sibling).
Please note, childbirth is not considered a justified reason to leave work under the National Insurance Law.
Unpaid leave after childbirth
Important information! A woman who went on unpaid leave for a justified reason up to 1.7.21 - will be entitled to unemployment benefits provided she meets the conditions of entitlement.
The one who went on unpaid leave for a justified reason from 2.7.21 onwards - will not be entitled to unemployment benefits.
After the end of the period of unemployment benefit payment, you are allowed to be absent from your work, under the Women Labor Law, for a period of up to a quarter of the number of months you have worked for the employer you had before childbirth - this absence is regarded as an unpaid leave.
If you have submitted a claim for unemployment benefits for an unpaid leave until 1.7.21
we will contact your employer and verify if is able to take you back at work:
- If the employer declares that he is not able to welcome you back at work, your claim for unemployment benefit will be approved provided that all conditions of entitlement to the benefit are met.
- If the employer declares that he is able to welcome you back at work, but you are not willing to resume, your claim for unemployment benefits will be denied as submitted by a person who is not jobless.