Childbirth and Maternity Leave

• Contact your gynaecologist
• Follow the instruction given by the specialist related to the health examination and texts, some of them are recommended and some of them are extra service
• Book your maternity ward!
• Choose a paediatrician

First of all, contact your gynaecologist. They recommend making a home test in around 7th week of pregnancy and then to contact the gynaecologist.

Your health insurance company should cover some examination and test and the basic care.

But the situation is that if you are pregnant, usually, the gynaecologist offers you a special deal with ultrasound images, special care etc. Some examinations are paid and the price is dependent on each specialist. Therefore, we recommend checking the fees before you register to your gynaecologist.

One of the paid services, which is highly recommended and worth getting, is the prenatal screening. It is a combination of ultrasound and blood tests of the mother, which can detect Down syndrome cases.

If you want to get the 3D photo or video, you have to book your appointment for the 20th week of pregnancy. And you need to prepare up to thousand crowns for that.

In some maternity wards, you need to book your slot – usually, in the 13+0 week of pregnancy. It is often possible online. Keep in mind that not every place is able to provide English-speaking staff.

• Married couples – prepare the original of the marriage certificate with the verification and official translation to the Czech language
• Unmarried couples – visit the nearest City Hall, department of Registration Office („Matriční Úřad“) and fill in the declaration of paternity (before the childbirth)
• Contact your health insurance company and inform it about your pregnancy
• Choose name for your baby

If you do not submit necessary documents, only the mother’s name will be written on the birth certificate.

According to the change of the Act of Foreigners, the first 2 months after the birth the babies are covered by the public health insurance – if you are employed, you can contact the VZP or OZP. If you are not employed, you can just contact some of the public health insurance companies. You can do it around 1 month before the planned birth.

Choose the name for a girl and for a boy – even if you know the sex of your baby, the hospital will ask you to fill in both types (for a girl and for a boy) and also the surname. The nationality will be according to the parents, your baby won’t be of the Czech nationality.

There is no legal period when you need to inform your employer about the pregnancy. It depends on you, but in some cases, it is necessary to inform the employer in an early stage of pregnancy. The latest possible day is the day you leave for maternity leave. But to be fair to your employer, it is better to say it for example in the 5th month (when the pregnancy is actually obvious).

According to the Labour Code, in case of a job which may be dangerous for an unborn baby and for a mother, the employer should change your position for the safe one. The salary must stay the same and your employer cannot terminate your job contract because of your pregnancy.

In case, that your time-limited job contract expires during your pregnancy, the employer has a right not to prolongate it again.

If this happens, you do not need to be worried – there is the so-called „protection period“ of 180 days after the expiration of your job contract when you are still covered by social insurance. That means, you can get the sick allowance and then maternity allowance.

As stated above, the employer can change your job position in case that your current position may affect the unborn baby or may be dangerous for both baby and mother. There is a list of professions and positions which are included, namely work with chemicals, work with heavy items, or exposition to virus, explosives, etc. During pregnancy your employer should not ask you to work overtime.

When can I apply for a sick leave? (Only for employed with the payment of health and social insurance):

• In case of risky pregnancy
• Anytime, after confirmation with the gynaecologist

During the sick leave it is not possible to terminate your job contract (for the reason of your pregnancy). If your time-limited job contract terminates during the sick leave, the employer does not need to extend it – it depends on the agreement between you and your employer.

If your sick leave began before the termination of your job contract, you can get the sick benefits after the termination of your job contract as well.

Walking hours (“vycházky”) - same rules as in case of a broken arm; can be done in the time frame from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM, maximum for 6 hours per day (can be divided into 3 + 3 hours in the morning and in the afternoon)

You need to report the place of your stay. Control within first 14 days from the employer, after 14 days from Czech Social Security Office, which can remove (cancel) the allowance.

Example – sick leave

-> Your average (gross) monthly salary for last 12 months is 25,000 CZK

• First 14 days – 60 % of your reduced hourly wage (for your real working days); 676 CZK per working day
• 15th to 30th day – 444 CZK per day (not only working day)
• 31st to 60th day – 489 CZK per day
• From 61st day – 533 CZK per day

The chosen maternity ward should accept you anytime, not only in the booked slot. In case of premature delivery, or in an urgent situation, you can use the nearest free maternity ward

You can get the extra service there (paid):

• personal midwife
• private room
• special care

All the paid extra services depend on the possibilities of each hospital. It is possible to bring your partner for the birth.

You should prepare your luggage according to the recommendation of the maternity ward and prepare your residence card and your health insurance card.

After the child is born, it can stay temporarily in the Czech Republic for a maximum period of 60 days. Within this period, it must either leave the country, or you can apply for a residence permit or a visa for it at a Ministry of the Interior office -> submit the application for Long-term/Permanent/Temporary residence permit at OAMP in person (NOT by post!). Do this even if the application is incomplete e. g. missing passport.

An officer from the Registry office („Matriční úřad“) will visit you and the birth certificate will be issued within 30 days.

Required documents:

• Application form
• Birth certificate
• Health insurance
• Passport (can be submitted later upon request, after it is issued)
• 2 passport size photos (45 x 35 mm)
• Stamps (kolky)

Further information regarding the application can be found on the website of the Ministry of Interior.

Temporary residence permit for a family member of an EU national (child born in the territory) required documents:

• Application form
• Passport
• Photograph (45 x 35 mm)
• Health insurance
• Accommodation contract
• Birth certificate
• Stamps – 200 CZK

Permanent residence permit for a family member of an EU national (child born in the territory) (automatically covered by the public health insurance from the date of submission of the application) required documents:

• Application form
• Passport
• Photograph (45 x 35 mm)
• Accommodation contract
• Birth certificate
• Stamps – 200 CZK

Long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification (child born in the territory)

• Application form
• Passport
• Photograph (45 x 35 mm)
• Birth certificate
• Stamps – 1000 CZK

Permanent residence permit for the purpose of family reunification (child born in the territory) (automatically covered by the public health insurance from the date of submission of the application)

• Application form
• Passport
• Photograph (45 x 35 mm)
• Birth certificate
• Stamps – 1000 CZK

Birth grant (“porodné”) is paid in one lump sum and apply only to the first and second child in the family. The family's net income in the calendar quarter before the birth or adoption of the child must be less than 2.7 times the family's subsistence minimum in order to acquire this grant.

In case of first baby – 13,000 CZK, in case of second baby – 10,000 CZK

Furthermore, you have to submit the application form and proof of finance at the Employment office (“Úřad Práce”). It is possible to do it 1 year backwards, but the incomes are always related to the date of birth of your child.

Subsistence minimum for 2023 (for 2024 not yet issued):

• 2 adults and 2 children under 5 years – 13,900 CZK; with the coefficient for Birth grant – 13,900 x 2,7 equals 37,530 CZK
• 2 adults and 1 child under 5 years – 10,990 CZK; with the coefficient for Birth grant – 10,990 x 2,7 equals 29,673 CZK

Further information are posted on website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (for exact information, contact MLSA directly as the information on different websites vary).

If your family income is more than this amount, you are not entitled to birth grant.

In case of twins is the grant of 23,000 CZK (if it is the first and second child in a family).

Maternity leave is a period of leave granted by the employer to the parent related to the birth of a child, starting at the earliest eight weeks and at the latest six weeks before the planned date of childbirth.

Is accessible only for employed or self-employed and begins 6 – 8 weeks before the planned birth date. You have to submit the application, which has to be confirmed by gynaecologist. The duration of the maternity leave is 28 weeks.

Maternity leave and benefits are issued for women who have worked for more than 270 days within the last 2 years (which is about 9 months of social insurance, may differ for various employers) and in case you paid the social insurance in time of starting your maternity leave, or you are in the so-called protection period.

If you are self-employed, you can get maternity benefits in case you have paid the social insurance for a period of at least 270 days within the 2 last years before starting your maternity leave.

It is possible for mother to receive the maternity allowance for the first 6 weeks after the birth and then for the father of a child or husband. However, the father also needs to fulfil the requirements for social insurance. Both mother and father need to write the declaration with the date of birth of a child, starting date when father starts to take care of a child. The declaration needs to be signed with a verified signature.

The starting date of maternity leave is up to the woman – in the period from 8 to 6 weeks before the planned birth date.

In total it takes 28 weeks, so 6 months. The application form needs to be confirmed by the gynaecologist, who writes the estimated date of birth (part A). Part B refers to the applicant (mother). This form needs to be submitted by your employer and based on it you start to receive the maternity allowance. Official period for approval is 1 month from the date of submission of the application.

If you are self-employed, you need to submit the application directly at the Czech (Regional/Olomouc) Social Security office (OSSZ).

The period of sick leave (and sick allowance) does not affect the maternity allowance.

If you are a student and you do not have any job contract (not the agreement on working activity), your social insurance is not paid and therefore, you can apply directly for parental allowance, not for maternity allowance.

Example – maternity benefits

• Your average (gross) monthly salary for last 12 months is 25,000 CZK
  • 70 % of daily average salary for last 12 months
  • In case of self-employed the allowance is based on the paid social insurance for last 12 months
  • 822 CZK/day is the daily average salary (100 %)
  • 576 CZK/day is the reduced daily average salary (70 %)
  • In total for 28 weeks – 112,896 CZK

In case of twins or multiples, the period for maternity leave is 37 weeks, so the total amount will be 149,184 CZK in total.

It is possible to apply for the paternity leave for 14 days (extra vacation for father of a child). The father has to apply at the employer with the birth certificate. If the father is self-employed, he has to apply directly at OSSZ (District Social Security Administration). During the leave, he will be receiving 70% of the reduced daily average salary.

The time of paternity leave is similar to a holiday, i.e. 14 days, meaning the paternity leave is two extra weeks of holidays. It must be 14 days together (it is not possible to divide).

Only for employed fathers who have been paying the social insurance for at least 3 months before birth.

It is possible to apply in advance or immediately after the birth at Employment office (“Úřad práce”). It is also possible to apply 3 months backwards. However, there are different documents for EU and non-EU citizens.

The submission of the application for parental allowance is possible once you submit the application for residence permit at the Ministry of Interior and the preparation for application takes around 1 month.

It is possible to apply 3 months backwards. If you have been receiving maternity allowance, you can start preparing your documents 4 months after the birth of your child and apply for parental allowance before it ends. If you were not receiving the maternity allowance, you can apply for parental allowance directly after the childbirth (after submission of the application for residence permit).

The total amount is 350 000 CZK for one child, in case of twins, it is 525 000 CZK until the age of 3.

You can apply for parental allowance and you do not need to be with your baby at home to be able to receive it.

Here are the conditions:

• Somebody (a person) has to take care of your child (e.g. grandmother, baby-sitter)
• Your child can attend the nursery, but no more than 92 hours per month

If the second baby is born during the period of receiving an allowance for the first baby, you can apply for a once-paid amount, at the Employment office (“Úřad práce”). The only condition is that at least one of the parents is employed or self-employed (meaning that at least one of the parents pays the social insurance). It is also possible to change the monthly amount every 3 months (using the special form at the Employment office), but this is possible only in case, that you have the confirmed daily average salary from CSSO (Social security centre).

The maximum monthly allowance is 47,770 CZK (in case you have a very high daily assessment base). Parental leave is paid only up to the age of 3 years, but you can get the parental allowance up to 4 years.

1st part of the application process - Confirmation from Czech Social Security Office (OSSZ) to find out the daily average salary + History of stay – for non-EU citizens

2nd part of the application process - Application at Employment office with necessary documents

The submission of the application for parental allowance is possible after you submit the application for residence permit at the Ministry of Interior. The preparation for application takes around 1 month.

It is possible to apply 3 months backwards. If you receive maternity allowance, you can start to prepare the documents 4 months after your baby was born and submit the application for parental allowance before it finishes.

If you do not receive the maternity allowance, you can apply for parental allowance directly after the childbirth (after submission of the application for residence permit).

Required documents – EU citizens:

• Application form
• Birth certificate
• Daily average salary (different for employed, unemployed people)
• Residence permits of all family members
• Passports of all family members
• Health insurance cards (and vaccination booklet for a baby)

Required documents - non-EU citizens

• Application form
• Birth certificate
• Daily average salary (different for employed and unemployed)
• History of stay
• Residence permits, passports and health insurance cards
• Vaccination booklet
• Declaration that you have previously not received any maternity allowance
• Accommodation contract
• Job contract and confirmation of employer, that you and/or your husband are still employed
• Questionnaire for determination of residency – every member of family needs to fill in the form

How to apply for parental allowance:

• Online booking of the appointment at the Employment Office
• Personally or with the power of attorney
• Workplace of the Employment Office according to your place of living

You should receive an approval within 30 days from submission. Do not forget to submit the newest residence cards

Book a slot at the Employment Office according to the surname of the applicant (in the most cases mother).

Do not forget to submit the new residence cards – it is recommended to submitting the application for prolongation of your stay on time (3 months before expiration) and once you receive the new cards, it is necessary to submit the new cards at the Employment office. Otherwise, the Employment Office will terminate the payment of parental allowance.