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- 23 May 2021, 09:39
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Photo: onliner.by
Last Sunday, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Irina Kostevich said that maternity leave for three years is “a very expensive pleasure.” She gave the example of the amount of child benefit, which is more than the minimum wage. In fact, officials have long been hinting that parental leave in Belarus will still have to be reduced. Onliner.by tried to figure out whether this is realistic to do now and what the problems are.
What was maternity leave like before?
Parental leave in Belarus was not always three years. For example, in the early 1980s, maternity leave lasted 6 months. Then it was increased to 1.5 years, thanks to which the country received a surge in the birth rate in 1982-1984. Later an unpaid period was added, another 1.5 years to the vacation.
The biggest effect was achieved by increasing vacation time from 6 months to 1.5 years. And after the entire period became paid in 1991, such efficiency no longer existed. Due to the collapse of the Union and economic problems, the birth rate fell, the consequences of Chernobyl slowed down the implementation of reproductive goals. It’s not that people didn’t want to give birth—they put it off until later.
Nowadays it is not always easy to get into kindergartens, but in the Soviet period Belarus had a fairly good preschool infrastructure, there was a system of departmental kindergartens and nurseries at factories and state enterprises.
There was a nursery with a long shift, until 10 pm. In the 1990s, when the birth rate dropped markedly, these institutions began to close due to lack of use.
Before 1991, there were 1.5 years of paid maternity leave and another 1.5 unpaid. Then, due to the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, it was decided that all three years should be paid - in the hope that this would help people and have a beneficial effect on their health.
And for 30 years now, Belarus has existed with three years of paid parental leave. There have been no major changes in this matter.
Maternity leave in 2021: new law
Changes in the legislation on the provision of leave to pregnant women and mothers in 2021 are related solely to the size of the minimum wage.
It is used to determine the minimum amount paid to the woman. However, other rules regarding the duration and amount of payment for such leave remained unchanged. The timing, procedure for granting and processing any leave are regulated by the provisions of the Labor Code, and everything related to benefits is regulated by Law No. 255-FZ on the Social Insurance Fund of December 29, 2006. In total, there are several benefits that represent state assistance to a woman in connection with her new status . Some of them can be received before the birth of the child, the other - later. What can you count on when going on maternity leave in Russia, what payments are due?
- Benefits for contacting the LCD regarding pregnancy. To receive this, albeit very modest payment, you need to contact a specialist and register early - no more than 12 weeks.
- “Maternity benefits”, or rather insurance benefits. You will receive it in full immediately after receiving the necessary document from the housing complex - sick leave. Unlike ordinary illness, payment for maternity leave is always 100%, but within certain limits. On our website you will find a special formula for calculating maternity benefits in 2021.
- The fact of the birth of a child gives the right to another one-time payment . Its size, like the first benefit, is the same for everyone.
- Any parent of a child under 1.5 years old receives regular social assistance from the state. Its size depends on salary. And then, another 1.5 years - only compensation payment.
What options did the authorities offer for reducing maternity leave?
At the end of November, Alexander Lukashenko said that he “considers it important to also discuss the possibility of reducing parental leave, which in Belarus currently lasts until children reach three years of age and is one of the longest in the world.”
Three weeks later, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Irina Kostevich even proposed possible options: leave three years, of which only two are paid, or two years for everyone, three for large families.
A couple of weeks later, news appeared: maternity leave would not be reduced. Nevertheless, let us remind you: in 2015 they said that there would be no increase in the retirement age, but in 2017 a full-fledged pension reform began. But pensioners receive money in the same place as women on maternity leave - in the social security fund, which has been experiencing financial stress for several years and requires subsidies.
What does the maternity leave include?
There is no concept of “maternity leave” in the legislation of the Russian Federation, although it is used everywhere. It involves two periods of rest, following each other. The first is related to pregnancy and obstetrics. It is issued in the form of sick leave and lasts, as a rule, 140 days. The second is provided to the mother to care for the baby for 1.5-3 years. It is worth noting that the length of service is not interrupted.
According to Art. 255.256 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, a pregnant woman retains her position and cannot be dismissed while on maternity leave. This right is also granted to military personnel and full-time students. If the employer has entered into a fixed-term contract with an employee in a precarious position, and its expiration date falls during pregnancy, then the contract must be extended until the birth of the baby.
A pregnant woman must provide the company where she works with an application and a medical certificate from the clinic indicating that the woman is pregnant.
Important! In 2015, changes were made to labor legislation. Thus, in accordance with the new law in 2018, employees preparing to become mothers can count not only on maintaining their position until the birth of a child, but also on the period of maternity leave with appropriate payments.
How much does a three-year maternity leave cost Belarus?
The main problem that raises the question of reducing maternity leave is the lack of money in the social security fund. Judge for yourself: if in 2014 the budget gave the fund 1.5% of all revenues, then this year it is already planned for 8.5%.
Two years ago, 264 thousand people were on maternity leave. This is more than the population of two conventional Pinsks.
Almost every “resident” of this conditional city does not work full time and receives a monthly benefit from the state: 472 rubles for the first and 670 for the second and subsequent children. This year it is planned to spend 1.5 billion rubles on benefits for maternity leavers.
Mothers on maternity leave: no nursery, nanny costs about $200 per week
The IPM Research Center, together with BEROC, conducted a survey in 2021, according to which 80% of respondents consider three years optimal for maternity leave. 72% of respondents spent all three years on maternity leave. But those who left earlier did so for financial reasons.
20.3% of survey participants who have children admitted that they would leave maternity leave earlier if relatives had the opportunity to look after the child, and 10% - if there was an opportunity to place him in a nursery or kindergarten.
Meanwhile, almost 11% of respondents are ready for two years of maternity leave with increased benefits, another 10% are hesitant, as they are not completely confident in this option. We asked two mothers who were on maternity leave how they assessed the possibility of reducing it?
Tatyana was on maternity leave three times. From the first I went to work when the child was one year old. The next two times I didn’t do this and took the opportunity to be with the children until they were 3 years old.
— I left my first maternity leave when the child was one year old. I was able to do this because my salary allowed me to hire a nanny and I still had money left for living.
I would be positive about the idea of shortening the maternity leave by a year, provided that the mother’s salary allows her to hire a nanny for the child.
And the nanny, by the way, charges $3.5 per hour (that comes out to almost $200 a week with an 8-hour working day. - Onliner note).
Tatyana, as a mother of three children, is skeptical about the idea that a child can be sent to kindergarten at the age of 2:
— I think that very young children are sent to kindergarten by those parents who find themselves in a hopeless situation.
Two year olds are too small for the garden. It’s rare that a teacher will calm a child who is crying because his mother has left. Even with three-year-olds, we don’t always know how to behave.
And here they offer to leave these little chickens in the garden at two years old... They say that abroad maternity leave lasts three months, but there the salary allows the mother to hire a nanny. Mom goes to work, a nanny sits with the baby.
Also, a mother with many children believes that benefits are important financial support for the family.
— When maternity leave ends, the payments end, and it becomes more difficult. Fortunately, my husband supports me. What to do if a mother is raising her children alone, her maternity leave is over, and the child is not ready to go to kindergarten? - says Tatyana and emphasizes that not every employer is happy to see a mother of two or three children.
How is maternity leave paid and how long does it last in different countries of the world?
Parental leave
in different countries of the world
“IAS” studied the topic of maternity leave and parental leave in different countries of the world in comparison with how things are in Russia.
Sweden
Parental leave is provided to both parents for 480 days, of which 90 days are only for fathers. However, parents cannot take it at the same time. The benefit amount is 80% of salary.
In addition to vacation, either parent, by agreement with the employer, can reduce the number of working hours with a proportional reduction in salary. This right remains with one of the parents until the child’s 8th birthday.
Norway
A young mother can choose from two options: take 322 days of maternity leave and receive a benefit of 90% of her salary, or take 365 days of leave with a benefit of 80% of her salary.
The father is given up to 10 weeks of paid leave, which he can use after the end of the woman’s maternity leave.
Finland
A woman's paid leave lasts 161 days, and a man's - 8 weeks. The benefit amount of 550 euros per month is considered small, so Finnish mothers are in a hurry to go to work.
In Finland, young mothers are also given special kits with the necessary clothes, diapers and toiletries for the first days of a child’s life. Instead of this set, young parents have the right to receive 150 euros.
Until the child turns 7-8 years old, a woman can work half a day. Until the age of 18, the state credits the child with an allowance of 100 euros for personal use, the amount of the allowance is indexed to take into account inflation.
Iceland
Parental leave is 9 months, paid at 80% of salary. Parents can share the vacation among themselves. For example, the first 3 months are for a woman, the next 3 months are for a man and the last 3 months are for a woman.
Great Britain
Parental leave is 365 days, the benefit amount is 90% of the salary. Parents, just like in Iceland, can divide these days between themselves.
Serbia
For a woman, leave after the birth of a child is 365 days, and the benefit amount is 100% of the salary. The number of vacation days may be greater, but they are not paid beyond a year. A man receives 1 week of paid vacation, which he can use at any time.
Croatia
A woman has the right to 365 days of paid leave to care for a child: the first 6 months in the amount of 100% of the salary, the subsequent ones - 300-450 euros per month. A man can also take advantage of parental leave, which is 120 days.
Denmark
A woman can take advantage of 126 paid days of parental leave, a man receives 2 paid weeks of leave. The payment amount is 55% of the salary. Parents can extend their leave for another 14-15 weeks if the child is sick. In addition, the state credits the child’s personal account with 600 euros per quarter - from birth to 2 years, 475 euros - from 3 to 6 years, 374 euros - from 7 to 14 years, 124 euros - from 15 to 17 years.
USA
The employer provides up to 12 weeks of leave after the birth or adoption of a child. This leave is unpaid.
Australia
Vacation is at the discretion of the employer, so women often replace it with sick leave or accrued vacation days.
Russia
Maternity leave is 140 days. A one-time benefit for women who registered in the early stages of pregnancy in 2021 is 581.73 rubles. The one-time benefit for the birth of a child in 2017 is 15,512.65 rubles. Also, a lump sum maternity benefit is paid, which is calculated taking into account the salary for the previous 2 years of work.
In addition to maternity leave, a woman can receive maternity leave until the child reaches the age of 3 years. For 1.5 years it is paid in the amount of 23,120 rubles 66 kopecks. Payments are determined by federal laws. Parental leave can be granted to the child's closest relatives: father, grandmother, grandfather. Funds are transferred every month on the day the salary is paid.
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“It’s very difficult to return to your field after 3-5 years of maternity leave”
Daria, who went on maternity leave twice, has a similar point of view:
“No matter what anyone proves, I believe that until the age of three, a child is not ready for kindergarten. It’s one thing to leave a child with his grandmother or nanny for a few hours, another thing is to take him to the garden full-time from morning to evening, when he doesn’t understand anything, his psyche is immature. Therefore, I believe that three years of maternity leave should remain.
Many children get a lot of stress when they are sent to kindergarten, and after that they begin to have other serious problems.
At the same time, Daria says that a long maternity leave does not always have a positive effect on the mother of a child.
— It’s very difficult to return to your field after 3-5 years of maternity leave. In fact, at work you will have to start from scratch, even if you had previous experience,” she explains. “Therefore, I think that a mother should work immediately after giving birth, only this should be limited in time - an hour or two a day.
— To do this, you need to use assistants in the form of grandmothers or nannies. We have a stereotype that a woman should look after her child and still manage to do everything: bear the entire household burden and not get discouraged while on maternity leave. It won't work that way.
To prevent mom from dropping out of social life (and this often happens), help is needed.
At first my grandmothers helped me and my husband, and then we hired a nanny, who came once or twice a week and really relieved me of my workload.
How long is maternity leave for our neighbors?
Russia
Leave is granted until the child reaches three years of age. The care allowance is paid until the child reaches the age of one and a half years; as a general rule, it is 40% of the average earnings of the person caring for the child. That is, a person with an average salary in Belarus would be paid approximately 550 Belarusian rubles.
Ukraine
Paid parental leave lasts three years. Further, it is possible to take out unpaid leave to care for a child under six years of age for medical reasons - in connection with the child’s frequent illnesses (the employer is obliged to reserve a place for his employee). The amount of maternity leave has not changed for several years, it is 41,280 hryvnia, which is about 3,800 Belarusian rubles. About 10,000 hryvnia - approximately 900 Belarusian rubles - are paid immediately, the rest is divided over three years.
Poland
Maternity leave depends on the number of children born, its minimum duration is 20 weeks, the benefit during this period will be 100% of the mother’s salary. Parental leave also depends on the number of children born at a time and is 32 weeks for the birth of one child and 34 for the birth of several. This leave can be divided into parts and used until the child reaches the age of six. During this period, the benefit will be 60% of the salary. In addition, there is so-called paternity leave, which is 14 weeks.
Lithuania
The maximum period of parental leave is three years, but after the third year the benefit is no longer paid. The amount of the benefit depends on the period of receipt and the salary of the person on leave. You can receive benefits for two years, and then in the first year they will pay 54.31% of your salary and 31.03% in the second year. If you receive benefits for one year, the monthly payment will be 77.58% of your salary.
Latvia
The so-called parental benefit can be received until the child reaches one year (it will be 60% of the salary) or one and a half years (43.75% of the salary). Further payment of the benefit in the amount of 70 euros continues until the child’s 18th birthday.
Maternity leave
After the sick leave is completed, the next part of the maternity leave begins - caring for the baby. The main difference between this period of rest and sick leave is that it can be issued not only by the mother, but also by any close relative, for example, father, grandmother. Days are provided upon application from the citizen to the employer.
Parental leave lasts for 36 months. It is also divided into two parts. The first one is a year and a half, paid. The second is provided for a similar period, but payments are reduced to 50 rubles per month.
In some cases, the mother can keep the benefit until the child reaches three years of age. This applies to low-income large families and depends on the regulatory regulation of the issue in a particular subject of the Russian Federation.
There are some common misconceptions in society about the period for which maternity leave is granted. So, one of them is parental leave until the child reaches the age of six if the child is prone to frequent illnesses. In addition, many mothers are sure that in relation to disabled children, rest can be extended until the minor reaches the age of fourteen. It is worth noting that the indicated deadlines are contrived by the maternity leavers themselves, and the current legislation does not contain relevant provisions.
Important! Parents whose families have a child with developmental disabilities or defects that have led to the establishment of a disability group have the right to receive four additional days of rest per month. At the same time, their earnings are retained. In addition, these persons are granted two weeks of vacation in excess of the amount established by law.
The duration of standard maternity leave is established by labor legislation and cannot be changed depending on individual circumstances.
What are the options for solving the problem?
In neighboring Russia, you can spend three years on maternity leave, but only the first year and a half are paid. Moreover, the benefit is tied to the average salary of mothers that they received before maternity leave.
— If the salary was high, then there are certain benefits. If it’s low and the benefits are low, then women try to go to work earlier,” says Natalya.
When the paid part of vacation was reduced in Russia, the private services market quickly mobilized there - at the expense of migrant workers and private kindergartens.
This market is not developed in Belarus. There is no demand for the services of nannies or kindergartens, and it is quite expensive.
— What we have are exclusive options. There are few of them, they are expensive. The client segment here has not changed for decades - these are fairly wealthy people. Private kindergartens are most represented in Minsk and the Minsk region. For example, in Mogilev there is only one private kindergarten. In principle, why should there be a lot of them if we can look after our children for three years? - adds the expert.
Natalya gives the example of Lithuania, whose experience could be used. There is an option of state support, when the private owner shares the costs of maintaining a private kindergarten together with the state, because the state is also interested in placing children somewhere.
In Vilnius, there are problems with kindergartens in some neighborhoods, and when parents agree to take their child to a private kindergarten, the city authorities compensate some part of the payment.
Parents can receive about 100-200 euros in compensation for a private kindergarten. This is also an expense for the state, but there is no need to build a new kindergarten.
The private owner will do everything himself, and the state will support demand with subsidies. This is in the interests of both families and authorities.
“If you decide to reduce vacation time in Belarus, we can also think through options for public-private partnerships in the field of preschool children’s infrastructure,” the specialist believes and emphasizes that there is no need to send all mothers to work as quickly as possible.
“I don’t think that sending everyone to work a year earlier and saving on benefits is a constructive solution to the problem of dwindling resources, especially in the context of a dramatic drop in the birth rate,” Natalya believes. “But if the goal of our family policy is to create favorable conditions for families with children and provide families with the widest possible opportunities for combining the birth of children with professional responsibilities, we can count on both the active employment of women and an increase in the birth rate.
According to Natalya, the state will ultimately benefit. Some women will go to work earlier, they will start making contributions to the Social Security Fund. This is a bonus for the state.
By tying the amount of child care benefits to the payment period, families can expect larger payments for shorter periods of leave. In this case, a bonus for the family will be the opportunity to choose suitable parental leave options. At the same time, the expert adds that if we are to change the maternity leave scheme, it is important to prepare and offer various options:
— Develop a system of state support for private preschool services so that they are diverse, for every taste and budget. Then the reduction of parental leave will not cause social rejection and will not create problems for families.
As soon as families see problems, this immediately affects the birth rate. And our birth rate has been falling for almost the 5th year, and it is falling significantly.
Why create problems for families so that they also postpone the desire to have a child? No one has such a goal, we want children to be born. Therefore, we need to keep our eyes open, look for options that can be done quickly and that will be in demand by families.
What if you don’t change anything?
— Of course, you can leave the maternity leave configuration unchanged, especially since everyone seems to be happy with everything. But we see that three years of parental leave is a luxury that does not have a positive effect on the birth rate, because it continues to decline,” says Natalya.
— We assume that the resources of the Federal Social Protection Fund are limited and tasks are being set to optimize them. Now we have a unique opportunity to change something almost painlessly for the birth rate (after all, it is already declining), and thanks to new solutions, as painlessly as possible for families. The variability of parental leave will give families the opportunity to adapt to new conditions as quickly as possible,” the expert concludes.
