The following applies to employees: Pursuant to the provisions of the Maternity Act (Mutterschutzgesetz) expecting mothers must not be employed starting from the beginning of the eighth week prior to the estimated day of childbirth. To make sure that they do not suffer any financial disadvantage during this time period, they receive maternity allowance from their social insurance institution which, in principle, replaces their full net income. Self-insured persons in marginal employment receive a fixed amount of maternity allowance.