Maternity Benefit & Grant

Maternity Benefit

What is it?

Maternity Benefit is payable to insured women who are away from work as a result of pregnancy, up to a period of thirteen weeks.

Who Qualifies?

A pregnant woman:

Must be between the ages of sixteen and pensionable age.
Has been employed for at least thirty contribution weeks.
Must have paid at least twenty weekly contributions immediately before the date of the claim or six weeks before the expected week of confinement.

How and When Should You Claim?

The maternity allowance and grant form must be completed and signed by claimant and medical practitioner.

It must be returned within six weeks of the date of expected confinement.

Please bear in mind that an insured person should not claim a benefit of this type for any week during which she is at work.

What is the Amount?

A claimant will be paid sixty-five percent (65%) of her average weekly wages for a maximum of thirteen (13) consecutive weeks.

If you have been paid in full by your employer then your employer will receive the benefit payments.

How is it calculated?

Average weekly earnings = ^{Total Insurable Earnings}⁄₃₀
Weekly rate = Average weekly insurable earnings x 65%
The benefit payable: Daily rate x amount of benefit allowed

e.g.Claimant earnings $1560 per month and 13 weeks are allowed for maternity leave.

Contributions used prior to claim = 30wks

Average weekly insurable earnings = ^{Total Insurable Earnings}⁄₃₀ = ^{$1560 x 30 weeks}/₃₀ = ^$10920/₃₀ = $364.00

Weekly rate of benefit = ($364 x 65%) = $236.00
Total Benefit payable: $236.00 x 13 weeks = $3075.80

N.B. The benefit will only be paid to the claimant if she is not receiving full salary from her employer while on leave. However, if the claimant receives a full salary, then the allowance will be paid to the employer.

How Can You be Disqualified?

An insured woman may not receive maternity benefit payment if she:

Engages in paid work
Submits the claim late
Failure to submit a medical certificate at the request of the Director

Maternity Grant

What is it?

This is a lump sum payment made to a woman who has given live birth.

Who Qualifies?

A woman or her husband:

Must be between the ages of sixteen and pensionable age.
Has paid or has been credited at least twenty (20) weekly contributions in the thirty (30) weeks immediately before the birth of a child

Maternity grant based on a spouse’s/common law’s contributions will be paid to one woman at any one time. The relationship must be established for at least 3 years (they both must be sharing the same living quarters).

How and When Should You Claim?

A claim for Maternity Grant must be submitted within 21 days of the birth of the baby.

After confinement, the NIS certificate of confinement must be completed and signed by a medical practitioner or registered midwife, and submitted to the National Insurance Office within 21 days of the birth of the baby.

The form must be stamped by the hospital.

What is the Amount?

The current Maternity Grant is a single lump sum payment of $660.00 for each live birth.

How Can You be Disqualified?

An insured woman may not receive maternity grant if she:

If it is a stillbirth, but the claimant may claim funeral grant if she undertakes the burial of the child.
Submits the claim late
If she was not living in the same house with a man
Failure to submit a medical certificate at the request of the Director