Here you will find information about benefits and leave for pregnant women as well as mothers and fathers after the birth of their child. This chapter will examine:

• maternity benefits;
• maternity and childbirth leave;
• paternity benefits;
• paternity leave.

In what situation can I claim?

If you are a female employee or civil servant, you have the right to claim maternity leave and maternity benefits. Self-employed persons also have the right to claim maternity benefits.

Pregnant women have the right to request that their employer grant them annual paid leave before or after maternity leave. Pregnant women are granted paid annual leave regardless of how long they have been employed by their employer.

If you are a male employee or a civil servant, you have the right to claim paternity leave and paternity benefit. This leave of 10 working days must be taken within 6 months of the birth of your child.

If the paternity of the child has not been acknowledged (determined) or the child’s father has died, or the custody right of the child’s father has been terminated, another person who is not the child`s mother may be entitled to paternity benefit and leave if she/he is involved in the care for the child upon request of the mother.

Self-employed persons also have the right to claim paternity benefits.

What conditions do I need to meet?

Maternity benefits (maternitātes pabalsts) are paid in two parts.

The first part is paid for 56 or 70 calendar days of your maternity leave. Benefits for 70 calendar days are paid if you have been medically registered as pregnant up to the 12th week of pregnancy.

The second part of the benefits is paid for 56 or 70 calendar days after the birth of your child. Benefits for 70 calendar days are paid if you have experienced health problems during pregnancy, birthing or in the post-natal period or two or more babies have been born.

The longest period for which maternity benefits can be received is 140 calendar days.

Maternity benefits are granted on the basis of a work incapacity form issued by a doctor.

Paternity benefits (paternitātes pabalsts) are granted to the child's father. They are paid for the ten working days of leave which the father's employer has granted to the father after the birth of his child.

Paternity benefit is granted also to one of the two adopters of a child under 18 years.

Learn more about what benefits related to childbirth and child care are available to socially insured persons and which benefits are available to persons who have not worked or paid social insurance contributions.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Amount of maternity and paternity benefits

Maternity and paternity benefits are granted in the amount of 80% of the average insurance contribution wage.

Your average contribution wage is calculated for the 12-month period ending 2 months (3 months for self-employed persons) before the month in which the leave started.

Applying for benefits

To apply for maternity benefits, you must receive work incapacity form B from a doctor.

To apply for paternity benefits, a father must submit a statement from his employer stating that he is on leave due to a child's birth.

You can apply for maternity and paternity benefits by:

• filling out a form in person at any State Social Insurance Agency (SSIA) branch;
• posting a completed form to the SSIA;
• e-mailing a completed form signed with an e-signature to the SSIA;
• using e-service.

Work incapacity forms are issued electronically in the e-health system. If you apply for the benefit not using an e-service, you need to know the number and issuing date of your incapacity form. You can find it in the e-health portal or ask your doctor.

The portal Latvija.lv has information in e-service format regarding your social insurance payments and the amount of benefits, pensions and support payments you can claim using internet banking or your e-signature.

Jargon busters

A work incapacity form is issued electronically by a doctor or doctor's assistant at a medical institution after examining the patient, justifying the adopted decision with medical documentation.

The insurance contribution wage is the amount of income from which social insurance contributions have been paid. The average contribution wage is calculated over a 12-month period.

Social insurance contributions are legally mandated payments paid into a special budget account which give the right to socially insured persons to receive social insurance benefits stipulated by law, including unemployment, maternity, illness and parental benefits, disability, old-age and loss of breadwinner pensions, and compensation for workplace accidents and work-related illnesses and healthcare services.

Forms you may need to fill in

• Form for claiming/recalculating maternity benefits to be submitted to the SSIA in person, by post or e-mail (signed with an e-signature)
• Form for claiming/recalculating paternity benefits to be submitted to the SSIA in person, by post or e-mail (signed with an e-signature)

Know your rights

See the links below for information on your rights to maternity/paternity leave. These are not European Commission websites and do not reflect the views of the European Commission:

Latvian laws and regulations on leave and benefits:

• Labour Law
• Law on State Social Insurance
• Law on Maternity and Sickness Insurance
• Cabinet regulations: on issuing work incapacity forms, as well as calculating average contribution wages and granting maternity benefits

European Commission publication and website:

• EU Social Security Coordination

Who do you need to contact?

State Social Insurance Agency
Lacplesa iela 70a, Riga, LV-1011
Tel.: +371 64507020
Email: pasts@vsaa.gov.lv
Email for consultations: konsultacijas@vsaa.gov.lv
twitter.com/VSAA_LV
Branches in Riga and elsewhere

Ministry of Welfare
Skolas iela 28, Riga, LV-1331
Tel.: +371 80205100
Email: lm@lm.gov.lv

If you have any problems regarding your rights in the European Union, please contact the EU assistance service.