What is Mutterschaftsgeld (maternity benefits) and how do you get it?

During your maternity protection period, you can apply for maternity benefits from your health insurance company. This is possible at the earliest 7 weeks before the expected due date. You will need a medical certificate for this. Maternity benefits are only paid to people who had statutory health insurance on the first day of the maternity protection period and were entitled to sick pay. While you are on maternity leave, the health insurance company will pay your maternity benefits. That is a maximum of 13 Euros per day.

If you have a mini job and are covered by family insurance, you must apply for maternity benefits at the maternity benefits office. It then amounts to a maximum of 210 Euros per month. If you are entitled to maternity benefits, you will also receive money from your employer. Together with the maternity benefits, this contribution from the employer is intended to compensate for the loss of the normal salary.

Not everyone receives the contribution from the employer, even if they stay at home during the maternity protection period and therefore do not receive a salary. Some people only get maternity benefits. The following do not receive the contribution from the employer:

• Students
• People with a mini job
• Retired people

Sometimes a pregnant person is no longer allowed to work for medical reasons even before the start of the protection period. In these cases, the employer pays a maternity protection wage. The maternity protection wage corresponds to the average salary (before tax/gross) of the last 3 months before you became pregnant. There are no additional costs for employers. The health insurance company gives employers the money for the maternity protection wage.