The approaching date of maternity leave makes expectant mothers look for answers to many questions regarding future living conditions, plans and expectations. By the time of the onset of 30 weeks of pregnancy, a woman is also interested in the material question: how are maternity benefits paid. Maternity is paid on the basis of the registration of the leave granted for the period of pregnancy from 30 weeks and the postpartum period.
At 30 weeks, a pregnant woman brings a sick leave from the antenatal clinic and writes a vacation application. The duration of this vacation is 140 days, while the standard antenatal leave is 70 days if a woman expects one baby. If twins are expected, then leave before childbirth is increased to 84 days.
Having learned how maternity is paid, you can plan ahead for your future expenses related to the upcoming replenishment of the family. Every pregnant woman who goes on antenatal leave has the right to expect benefits. The law provides for the assignment of benefits by the state from 30 weeks of pregnancy to such categories of citizens as students, female military personnel, working women and those who were fired in connection with the liquidation of the enterprise and registered by the employment center. Such categories of pregnant women as non-working, not registered in employment centers are not assigned benefits.
In January 2011, new rules for calculating benefits began to apply. The new rules for the period from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012 provide for two ways to calculate maternity, taking into account the average daily earnings for either the previous two calendar years or the annual period. When writing an application, it is necessary to indicate which method of calculating maternity for mother is preferable: old or new.
The terms and the scheme of how maternity payments are paid for the category of a working woman are similar to the process of receiving wages. If the payment of salaries before this was carried out by transferring funds to a bank card, then the payment of benefits will be carried out in the same way.
The difference is only in how long maternity payments are paid. The period allotted by the state for the procedure for granting benefits is a 10-day period. However, the actual payment or transfer occurs on the next day of salary
Knowing how maternity is paid, a pregnant woman will know exactly when and how much will be transferred to her. The calculation of this allowance takes into account the 100 percent average earnings. The only condition is that the working experience should be at least 6 months. There is also a restriction regarding the maximum payout amount. In 2012, the allowance was indexed at 6%. If the experience of a pregnant woman is less than 6 months, then when asked how maternity benefits are paid, the size of the living wage is taken into account.
In addition, the calculation of average daily earnings includes a number of payments made during the accounting period, a list of which is listed in the Regulation on the features of accrual of benefits. According to it, for maternity benefits paid sick leave, travel, vacation pay are not taken into account. Not only the amounts of payments are deducted, but also the periods for which these payments were made.
The procedure for calculating maternity leave includes multiplying the average daily income by a number equal to the number of days on maternity leave, that is, equal to 140.
A future mother should not forget that in addition to the maternity allowance, she is also entitled to other payments. The allowance for a pregnant woman registered at an early stage (up to 12 weeks) of pregnancy in 2012 is 465.2 rubles. After giving birth, a young mother can expect to pay a birth allowance. The payment of this benefit is made at a time, upon delivery, to all categories of women in childbirth, regardless of whether the woman worked the day before. The amount of the benefit in 2012 is 12,405.31 rubles. The next allowance, which mothers have the right to draw up and receive, before reaching one and a half years, is payments related to caring for a child. There are limitations to this allowance - from a minimum of 2,325.99 rubles to a maximum of 13,825.75 rubles. In addition to the above federal payments, there are regional payments. Each region has its own payments and features of their receipt.