Maternity Aid – Find out how the benefit works

Maternity Allowance is a very important benefit for women, however, it ultimately raises many concerns among pregnant women, especially first-time mothers.

The benefit is guaranteed by the Brazilian Constitution, a period designed to allow mothers to recover after childbirth and take care of their babies or adopt children full time without loss of family income.

All INSS contributor workers are required to pay maternity pay. With this device, professionals can be absent from work for at least 120 days without losing wages. It is noteworthy that this benefit applies to women who give birth and adopt children.

Who is entitled to Maternity Allowance?

All insured women and social security contributors, either through employment, contributions collected directly from the payroll, or through optional (voluntary) contributions are entitled to Maternity Allowance.

See below all the cases in which rights can be obtained:

1. Professionals working under CLT regime

For these workers, full maternity pay is paid during their absence. A person with more than one formal employment relationship is entitled to benefits involving two or more jobs.

2. volunteer collaborators

This is the case for housewives or students who pay for GPS guides. You can apply for benefits as long as you have made contributions for more than 10 consecutive months. This time corresponds to the grace period provided for by Social Security.

3. Single workers, microenterprise workers (MEI) and domestic workers

These categories are exempt from the grace period for at least 10 months before birth or when a child under 12 is adopted.

4. Unemployed professionals, but insured by the INSS, are also entitled to maternity benefits

These unemployed women are entitled to receive wages even if they have not paid any fees, as long as the child is born within 14 and a half months from the date of termination of the employment contract.

Workers can only apply for benefits after giving birth, as it is necessary to present the child's birth certificate to receive the maternity salary.

5. Rural workers

If the worker is specially insured (for example, rural worker), there is a 10-month grace period for contributions and the value of the benefit is one minimum wage.

If optional contributions are available, benefits will be calculated as an average of 1/12 of the last 12 months' contributions.

How long does it take to get the Housing Allowance paid?

The duration of this benefit will depend on the triggering event of your request. Generally, in the case of childbirth, adoption, legal custody or stillbirth, the benefit period is 120 days. In the case of abortion, the duration is 14 days, as explained above.

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The start date for receipt of maternity pay is fixed on the date of birth or adoption of the child. However, in some cases, benefits can be claimed from 28 days before delivery based on medical advice, such as in the case of premature absences.