Greece – Maternity/Paternity Benefits
This chapter includes all you need to know about maternity and paternity benefits in Greece.
Periods of insurance completed in a Member State of the EU, EEA and Switzerland can be counted as insurance periods in Greece even if there is no legislative provision for this.
Here you will find information on the following:
- maternity leave and maternity benefit (pregnancy-postpartum period) (ฮฮดฮตฮนฮฑ ฮฮทฯฯฯฯฮทฯฮฑฯฮบฮฑฮน ฮฯฮฏฮดฮฟฮผฮฑ ฮฯ ฮฟฯฮฟฯฮฏฮฑฯโฮฮฟฯฮตฮฏฮฑฯ)
- special maternity leave and special maternity protection benefit (ฮฮนฮดฮนฮบฮฎ ฮ ฮฑฯฮฟฯฮฎ ฮ ฯฮฟฯฯฮฑฯฮฏฮฑฯ ฮฮทฯฯฯฯฮทฯฮฑฯ)
- maternity benefit for uninsured mothers (ฮฯฮฏฮดฮฟฮผฮฑ ฮผฮทฯฯฯฯฮทฯฮฑฯ ฮฑฮฝฮฑฯฯฮฑฮปฮฏฯฯฯฮฝ)
- parental leave (ฮณฮฟฮฝฮนฮบฮฎ ฮฌฮดฮตฮนฮฑ)
In what situation can I claim?
There are different forms of support provided to mothers in Greece. All benefits – in kind and in cash – are contributory, which means they are provided to insured persons.
- Maternity leave – maternity benefits (pregnancy-postpartum) (ฮฮดฮตฮนฮฑ ฮฮทฯฯฯฯฮทฯฮฑฯฮบฮฑฮน ฮฯฮฏฮดฮฟฮผฮฑ ฮฯ ฮฟฯฮฟฯฮฏฮฑฯโฮฮฟฯฮตฮฏฮฑฯ): working mothers who are directly insured are entitled to maternity leave, during which time they receive maternity benefits.
- Special maternity leave and special maternity protection benefit (ฮฮนฮดฮนฮบฮฎ ฮ ฮฑฯฮฟฯฮฎ ฮ ฯฮฟฯฯฮฑฯฮฏฮฑฯ ฮฮทฯฯฯฯฮทฯฮฑฯ): special maternity leave follows regular maternity leave and has a duration of up to 6 months, during which time mothers who are insured with EFKA and are employed at private-sector businesses or undertakings receive the special maternity protection benefit provided by the Labour Employment Office (OAED).
- Maternity benefit for uninsured mothers (ฮฯฮฏฮดฮฟฮผฮฑ ฮผฮทฯฯฯฯฮทฯฮฑฯ ฮฑฮฝฮฑฯฯฮฑฮปฮฏฯฯฯฮฝ): if you are a working mother who is not entitled to maternity benefit from EFKA and has low income, you are entitled to the maternity benefit for uninsured mothers, which is provided by the welfare department of Municipalities.
- Parental leave (ฮณฮฟฮฝฮนฮบฮฎ ฮฌฮดฮตฮนฮฑ): one of the two parents is entitled to reduced working hours for the 30 or 18 months following childbirth or adoption.
Please note that the maternity benefit and special maternity protection benefit are provided only to biological mothers.
What conditions do I need to meet?
- Maternity leave and maternity benefit (pregnancy-postpartum): in order to receive the maternity benefit, you must have accumulated at least 200 days of insurance in the last two years preceding the expected or actual date of delivery.
Furthermore, this benefit is paid on the condition that you will not be working during the 56 days prior to the expected date of delivery, and the 63 days following the birth of the child (i.e. the 119 days of maternity leave).
- Special maternity leave – special maternity protection benefit: in order to receive the special maternity protection benefit, you must be entitled to the maternity benefit.
- Maternity benefit for uninsured mothers: this benefit is not based on insurance contributions. It is means-tested (threshold: EUR 586.94 monthly family income). You should not have worked 42 days before and after birth.
- Parental leave: the same requirements as those applying to maternity leave apply here.
Please note that in the case that a working mother does not exercise her right to parental leave, then the working father will be entitled to request the exercise of this right.
What am I entitled to and how can I claim?
Benefit | Duration of benefit | Amount of benefit |
Maternity benefit (pregnancy-postpartum) | 119 days (56 days before delivery (pregnancy benefit) and 63 days following delivery (postpartum benefit)) | 50% of the standard wage corresponding to the insurance contribution class of the insured person, plus the child benefit at a rate of 10% of the above amount for each child.Minimum amount: 2/3 of earnings. |
Special maternity protection benefit | Up to 6 months | Amount equal to the statutory minimum pay |
Parental leave | 30 months after birth or adoption (reduced working hours by 1 hour) or 18 months (2 less working hours in the first 12 months and 1 less working hour in the remaining 6 months) | Without a reduction in earnings |
Maternity benefits are as a rule subject to tax.
- Maternity benefits (pregnancy-postpartum): the benefit is provided by the Illness Benefit Department of the local insurance unit of the Unified Social Security Fund (EFKA) at your place of residence, to which you must submit specific supporting documents.
- Special maternity protection benefit: this special 6-month leave is provided to mothers who are insured with EFKA and are employed at private-sector businesses or undertakings.
- Maternity benefit for uninsured mothers: you are entitled to EUR 440.20 (EUR 220.10 before giving birth and EUR 220.10 after delivery). You should claim approximately 9.5 months before birth.
Jargon busters
- Contributory benefits: benefits based on the insured person’s contributions.
Forms you may need to fill in
- Application for the special maternity protection benefit
- Employer’s certificate for the special maternity protection benefit
Both can be found at http://www.oaed.gr/eidike-paroche-prostasias-tes-metrotetas and at http://www.oaed.gr/sychnes-eroteseis-epidomata-paroches
Know your rights
The link below provides a legal definition of your rights. It is not a European Commission website, nor does it represent the views of the Commission:
- The Greek Ombudsman (ฮฃฯ ฮฝฮฎฮณฮฟฯฮฟฯ ฯฮฟฯ ฮ ฮฟฮปฮฏฯฮท) examines cases involving the protection of private-sector employees during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and during parental leave.
Publications and websites of the European Commission:
- Social insurance scheme: your rights abroad as a citizen of the EU
- Family benefits when moving within the EU
Who do you need to contact?
Unified Social Security Fund (EFKA)
International Relations Directorate
ฮฮณฮฏฮฟฯ
ฮฯฮฝฯฯฮฑฮฝฯฮฏฮฝฮฟฯ
8/8, Agiou Konstantinou street
10241 ฮฮธฮฎฮฝฮฑ/Athens
ฮฮฮฮฮฮ/GREECE
Tel.: +30 210 6783661
Website: http://www.efka.gov.gr
Labour Employment Office (OAED)
Insurance Directorate
Department of Bilateral Agreements and Implementation of Community Regulations
ฮฮธฮฝฮนฮบฮฎฯ ฮฮฝฯฮฏฯฯฮฑฯฮทฯ 8/Ethnikis Antistasis 8
17342 ฮฮฝฯ ฮฮฑฮปฮฑฮผฮฌฮบฮน/Ano Kalamaki
ฮฮฮฮฮฮ/GREECE
Tel.: +30 2109989000
Website: http://www.oaed.gr/
OAED- Call Center 11320
Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 14:30 pm
https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1112&langId=en&intPageId=4561