Maternity benefits

Employed and self-employed parents

Maternity leave

Maternity leave is taken by an employed or self-employed pregnant woman, i.e., mother from the 28th day before expected birth date to the 70th day after the birth of the child. That is the mandatory part of maternity leave used by the mother of the child.

Maternity leave can also start 45 days before the expected birth date.

After the expiration of the mandatory part of maternity leave, and until the child is 6 months old, an additional part of maternity leave follows, which the mother may, in whole or in part, transfer to the father of the child.

The financial support for a maternity leave for employed or self-employed parent who meets the requirement regarding insurance periods is 100% of the basis for salary compensation calculated in accordance with compulsory health insurance regulations. If the requirement regarding the insurance periods is not met, the financial support amounts to 125% of budget basis 551,80 Euro.

Paternity leave

An employed or self-employed father can take a paternity leave in the period from the ate of the child’s birth until the child is six months old, depending on the number of children born, from:

ten working days for the birth of one child
15 working days for the birth of twins, triplets, or the simultaneous birth of several children.

An employed or self-employed father can exercise this right for an uninterrupted period and provided that he is not exercising one of the rights under the maternity and parental benefits system for the same child at the same time.

Additionally, the father exercises this right regardless of the employment status of the mother, and regardless of whether she is taking a maternity leave. However, this right is non-transferable, and can exclusively be exercised by the employed or self-employed father of the child.

In the period when one is exercising their right to paternity leave, salary compensation amounts to 100% of the salary compensation base determined according to the regulations governing compulsory health insurance (without limit), and it is paid out from state budget funds.

Beneficiaries who receive other income, farmers outside the income tax or revenue tax system, unemployed beneficiaries

These beneficiaries are entitled to maternity exemption from work until the child reaches 6 months.

Beneficiaries outside the work system

These beneficiaries are entitled to maternity care for a child in the same duration.

Financial support for maternity exemption from work and maternity care for the child amounts to HRK 2,328.20 per month.

MORE – Maternity and parental benefits | HZZO

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. What conditions do I need to meet to be eligible for salary compensation during maternity leave in the amount of 100% of the compensation base?

A special condition for exercising the right to salary compensation during maternity leave in the amount of 100% of the salary compensation base, without limit, is the condition of having completed an insurance period of 6 months continuously, i.e., 9 months with interruptions in the last two years. If this condition is not met, you are entitled to a reduced amount of compensation (125% of the tax base, i.e., EUR 551.80).

The insurance period is a period of service achieved on the basis of employment or self-employment, as well as the receipt of salary compensation after the termination of that employment paid out from compulsory health insurance, according to regulations.

2. What conditions do I have to fulfil in order to exercise the right to maternity exemption from work?

If you are a parent earning other income, a farmer outside the profit or personal income tax system, or an unemployed parent, you must, on the child’s date of birth, have had health insurance under the regulations on compulsory health insurance, as well as an uninterrupted residence, or an approved permanent residence, or a long-term stay as a foreigner in Croatia for a period of at least 3 years.

If you are an unemployed parent, you must also have been registered with the Croatian Employment Service for the prescribed period.

3. What conditions do I have to fulfil in order to exercise the right to maternity care for the child?

If you are a parent outside the work system, you must, on the child’s date of birth, have had health insurance under the regulations on compulsory health insurance, as well as an uninterrupted residence, or an approved permanent residence, or a long-term stay as a foreigner in Croatia for a period of at least 5 years.