During maternity leave, employed or self-employed women are entitled to a pecuniary maternity allowance, provided that they were affiliated on a compulsory basis for 6 months during the year preceding the maternity leave.
The pecuniary maternity allowance is equal to the pecuniary sickness allowance; it is payable by the State.
The pecuniary maternity allowance corresponds in principle to the wage received previously by the female employee, subject to a ceiling of 5 times the social minimum wage (SSM) (as from January 1, 2025: €13,188.95 gross/month at index 944.43).