Maternity allowance

Maternity allowance (Mutterschaftsgeld) financially protects expectant and new mothers during the maternity protection periods in Germany.

Maternity protection periods:

• Before the birth: 6 weeks' ban on employment (can be waived voluntarily)
• After the birth: 8 weeks' absolute ban on employment
• For premature/multiple births: 12 weeks after the birth
• Total: 14 weeks (for a normal birth)

Who pays what?

Employees with statutory health insurance:

• Health insurer: max. €13 per calendar day (= max. ~€403/month)
• Employer: the difference between €13/day and your average net salary
• Result: you receive 100% of your previous net pay – tax-free!

Sample calculation:

• Net salary: €2,400/month = €80/day
• Health insurer: €13/day
• Employer top-up: 80 − 13 = €67/day
• You receive: €2,400/month (as before)

Privately insured / civil servants:

• One-off payment of up to €210 from the Federal Office for Social Security
• Employer top-up: as above (difference from net salary minus €13/day)

Self-employed:

• Voluntarily insured in the GKV with entitlement to sickness benefit: maternity allowance like employees
• Without entitlement to sickness benefit: only a one-off €210

Application: to your health insurer, as soon as you have the medical certificate with the expected due date (at the earliest 7 weeks before the due date).