How to apply for maternity leave in Belgium?

When to apply for maternity leave in Belgium?

In principle, you can choose when you take your maternity leave, but maternity leave is 15 weeks in total. In the case of a multiple pregnancy, 17 (or 19) weeks. Maternity leave can start 6 weeks before the birth, but most women choose to work as long as possible so that they can spend as much time as possible with their newborn. Your leave must start 7 days before your due date in any case.

At least 7 weeks before your expected delivery date, you must provide your employer with a medical certificate stating that date. Are you expecting multiple births? Then you must provide the certificate 9 weeks before that date. As soon as your employer has received this certificate, you are protected against dismissal. This protection lasts until one month after maternity leave. If you are dismissed due to pregnancy, your employer must pay you six months' salary in addition to the normal severance pay.

Also read: Breastfeeding breaks in Belgium: how to apply for benefits?

Applying for maternity leave as an employee in Belgium

As an employee, you are not automatically entitled to benefits during your pregnancy. You must first complete a waiting period of 6 months. With a full-time contract, you must have worked at least 120 days during those six months. With a part-time contract, you must have worked at least 400 hours.

In addition, you must arrange a number of matters if you want to receive the benefit. You must provide the health insurance fund with a medical certificate with that date and the start date of your maternity leave no earlier than 6 weeks (8 weeks for multiple births) before the expected date of delivery. Please note that if you want to enjoy the extra 4 weeks of maternity leave for a multiple birth, you must also mention this. The health insurance fund will then send an information sheet about benefits to you and your employer. You complete the sheet and return it to your health insurance fund. The health insurance fund will use this information to calculate the amount of your maternity benefit.

At the start of your maternity leave, you will receive a benefit from your health insurance fund to replace your salary. After the birth, you will provide your health insurance fund with a copy of your birth certificate. The exact duration of your maternity leave can be calculated on the basis of this. Your health insurance fund will inform you of this end date in writing. During the first days of your maternity leave, you will receive an amount equal to 82% of your salary. From day 31, this will be 75%.

Also read: What premiums are you entitled to when your child is born?

Applying for maternity leave as a self-employed person in Belgium

Just like employees, you as a self-employed person must complete a period of 6 months to be entitled to benefits. You submit an application to the health insurance fund. You fill in the expected date of delivery, the number of weeks of (optional) maternity leave that you wish to take and the exact period. These dates are not final, you can always make changes afterwards. You must inform your health insurance fund of the changes. Add a medical certificate to your application form stating the expected date of delivery and whether multiple births are expected.

After the birth, you provide the health insurance fund with a copy of the birth certificate. The first payment will be made as soon as the application has been received and on condition that you are in order with the contributions for the social insurance fund. The amount you receive is a fixed amount. With full-time maternity leave, you will receive 855.74 euros per week (from the fifth week you will receive 782.70 euros per week). If you take maternity leave part-time, you will receive 427.87 euros per week (from the fifth week you will receive 391.35 euros per week).

Also read: Parental leave: duration, options, benefits and application

Sources:
https://www.riziv.fgov.be
https://www.liantis.be