Parenthood

Expectant mothers are no longer allowed to work from the beginning of the eighth week before the planned due date. They are therefore on maternity leave. So that mothers do not suffer any financial losses during this time, the social security provider reimburses their net salary (maternity allowance) under the following conditions:

• You were in a valid employment relationship in the three calendar months immediately prior to the start of your maternity protection;
• The employment relationship lasts at least until the 1^st day of maternity protection.

The total maternity allowance paid is determined by the mother’s net salary over the three full calendar months immediately prior to the month in which maternity protection begins. Supplements for special payments such as vacation or Christmas bonuses are taken into account in the total maternity allowance paid. 

Example: You are an orchestra musician and work until your maternity protection. The calculated date for the start of maternity protection (= start of entitlement to maternity benefits) is 10^th September. The full calendar months of June, July, and August are therefore used to calculate your weekly allowance.

If you were not continuously employed in the three calendar months immediately prior to your maternity leave, you will still receive maternity allowance, but it will be lower. Your net earnings in this period are divided by the number of calendar days in the three-month period. The resulting amount is your reduced weekly allowance. 

Example: You are employed at a museum as an archivist and work until your maternity protection. The calculated date for the start of your maternity protection is 15^th March. The full months of February, January, and December are therefore used to calculate your weekly allowance. As you only started your employment relationship on 18^th December, and therefore only received 12 days' pay for the month of December, your weekly allowance will also be lower on average.

If you are in marginal employment and are self-insured, you will receive a set amount of money as a weekly allowance instead of your net salary. This amounts to €12.19 per day for 2026.

Info: Mothers who are employed and self-employed can receive a weekly allowance from both activities. 

Mothers who receive benefits under the Unemployment Insurance Act (AlVG) also receive maternity benefits. 

The total maternity allowance paid depends on your unemployment benefits. Mothers receive their previous unemployment benefits plus an 80% supplement. 

Visit the subchapter on unemployment insurance to find out how your unemployment benefits, and therefore also your weekly allowance, are calculated. 

The financial support that self-employed artists and cultural workers receive depends on whether they work as new self-employed individuals or tradespeople. 

• New self-employed individuals receive a set amount as a weekly allowance. This amounts to €72.18 per day in 2026.
• Tradespeople do not receive maternity allowance, but instead receive social assistance. 
  If tradespeople do not meet the requirements for social assistance, they receive maternity allowance instead, like new self-employed people. Sole traders receive maternity allowance instead of social assistance.

Info: Mothers who are employed and self-employed can receive a weekly allowance from both activities.