According to the current legislation, women employed by any employer under a private-law employment relationship, either of indefinite or fixed duration, are entitled, regardless of their status (employee or worker) and nationality, to maternity and confinement leave, which is collectively called maternity leave and lasts 119 days. (article 7 of the National General Collective Labour Agreement 2000 – 2001 ratified by article 11 of Law No 2874/2000).
Maternity leave (Confinement – Pregnancy)
Women who are directly insured and who have completed at least 200 days of insurance in the two years prior to the probable or actual date of childbirth, and who are not working at the time of the benefit, are entitled to maternity benefits.
Maternity benefits are granted by the Sickness Benefits Department of the EFKA Salaried Employees Branch Office of the beneficiary’s place of residence, and are paid for 119 days. Specifically, for 56 days before childbirth, the pregnancy benefit, and for 63 days after childbirth, the confinement benefit.
If childbirth takes place earlier than originally anticipated, the remainder of the leave shall be granted mandatorily after childbirth, so as to ensure the total leave period of 119 days.
(article 7 of the Collective Labour Agreement of 9/6/93 (DEN 1993 p. 635) to which a provision of the Collective Labour Agreement of 2000 refers).
If childbirth takes place later than calculated, then the leave of 56 days before childbirth is extended accordingly, without this extension affecting the period of postnatal leave (confinement), which always remains at 63 days. (article 3 paragraph 4 of International Convention 103/52 «for the protection of maternity» ratified by the first article of Law No 1302/82 (DEN 1983 p.108)).
In the above case, the total maternity leave exceeds 119 days. During the period of absence due to illness until childbirth (for 56 days) no maternity leave is owed.
A woman whose child was stillborn or died after childbirth is also entitled to confinement leave.
Finally, according to PD 176/97 (EAEΔ 1997 p. 1015) the pregnant employee is exempted from work, without deduction of pay, in order to undergo prenatal screening examinations, provided that these examinations must be carried out during working hours.
Required supporting documents for payment of the pregnancy benefit
The pregnancy benefit is paid 56 days before the probable date of childbirth. For payment, the insured woman must submit to the benefits department of the EFKA SALARIED EMPLOYEES branch office to which she belongs the following supporting documents:
- 1. Insurance booklets of the beneficiary (Individual Insurance Account Statement or DATE or, if the Individual Insurance Account Statement has not been issued, employer certificate certified by the IKA-ETAM Branch Office of the employer’s area).
- 2. Individual and family Health Booklet, if any, for the calculation of the increase due to family burdens.
- 3. Special form which may be obtained from the gynaecologist doctor of the IKA-ETAM Health Unit to which she belongs, which includes:
- a) Certificate from the competent gynaecologist doctor of the Health Unit, stating the probable date of childbirth
- b) Employer’s solemn declaration regarding the date of cessation of work.
c) Insured person’s solemn declaration that she has ceased work and will not undertake work throughout the subsidy period.
Required supporting documents for payment of the confinement benefit
For payment of the confinement benefit, the birth certificate of the child must be submitted, as well as the individual and family health booklet (if available) in order for any increase due to family burdens to be calculated.
In the event of premature birth (that is, beyond 30 days) a certificate from the Director of the clinic is required. The days of prematurity are transferred to after the end of confinement leave.
In the event of prolongation of pregnancy beyond 10 days, an opinion from the Higher Health Committee (AΥE) is required.
According to the provisions of article 35 of Law No 2676/99, persons who were successively insured with more than one body and sickness branch within the competence of G.GK.A, which grant maternity benefits, are entitled to those benefits from the body in whose insurance the insured risk occurred, provided that the directly insured woman has fulfilled the conditions required by the legislation of the last body, taking into account the periods of insurance with the other bodies.
