How much do I get on maternity leave?
Seventy-five per cent of your daily assessment base. Maternity benefit is 75% of the daily assessment base, and it is a benefit from the social insurer, not wages from your employer. From 1 January 2026 the ceiling rose along with the maximum assessment base, to €100.2083: the maximum daily benefit is therefore €75.16, which comes to €2,254.70 in a 30-day month and €2,329.90 in a 31-day one. The condition is at least 270 days of sickness insurance in the last two years before the birth. Maternity benefit is followed by the parental allowance: in 2026 that is €500.10 a month — but only €364.80 for someone who had no entitlement to maternity benefit.
📋 The rules
- Maternity benefit: 75% of the daily assessment base
- Paid by the social insurer, not the employer
- Maximum €75.16 a day (from 1 Jan 2026)
- Up to €2,254.70 or €2,329.90 a month
- Condition: 270 days of sickness insurance in the last 2 years
🔓 Exceptions
- Parental allowance 2026: €500.10 a month, or €364.80 without maternity entitlement
- The parental allowance normally runs until the child is 3
- A father can, on certain conditions, claim maternity benefit as well
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The usual problem is not the amount but the insurance condition: without 270 days of sickness insurance in the last two years, no entitlement to maternity benefit arises — and you drop straight to the parental allowance at the lower rate of €364.80 instead of €500.10. That is a gap of €135.30 a month, which over three years runs into thousands. So check your insured days in advance, ideally before conceiving or before changing jobs. The second point: maternity benefit comes from the social insurer, not as wages — your employer does not decide it, and the claim goes to the insurer.
📎 Official sources
- Social Insurance Agency · Maternity benefit →
- Slov-Lex · Social Insurance Act (461/2003) →
- Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family →
❓ Frequently asked
How much is maternity benefit?
Seventy-five per cent of the daily assessment base. From January 2026 the maximum daily amount is €75.16, which comes to €2,254.70 in a 30-day month and €2,329.90 in a 31-day one.
Who pays it?
The social insurance agency, not your employer. It is a sickness benefit, so the employer does not decide entitlement and the claim goes directly to the insurer.
What is the qualifying condition?
At least 270 days of sickness insurance in the two years before the birth. Without meeting it, no entitlement to maternity benefit arises and only the parental allowance remains.
How much is the parental allowance?
In 2026 it is €500.10 a month. If you had no entitlement to maternity benefit, the allowance is only €364.80 — a difference of €135.30 a month.
How long is the parental allowance paid?
In ordinary circumstances until the child turns three. Maternity benefit comes first and the allowance follows on from it, so the two run consecutively.
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