Types of leave
- Maternity leave — under article 404 of the Labour Code, 70 calendar days before the birth and 56 calendar days after the birth (70 days after a difficult birth or the birth of two or more children). The leave is counted as a total and granted in full. The allowance is at least 75 per cent of the average monthly wage; the Cabinet of Ministers sets the procedure to award it.
- Child care leave — under article 405 of the Labour Code, leave with an allowance until the child is two years old, and additional leave without pay until the child is three. The mother, the father, the grandmother, the grandfather, another relative who actually cares for the child, or the guardian may use it.
The guarantees
- The job and the position are kept for the time of the leave.
- Child care leave counts in the employment record, up to six years in total.
- The law limits the dismissal of a pregnant woman, and of a woman with a child under three, on the employer's initiative (articles 408 and 409 of the Labour Code).
Practical advice
Before you go on leave, get a copy of the order and keep it. If your position or your pay changes after you return, this document is the main evidence.
During child care leave you may work part time. The right to the allowance stays.