Maternity

Entitlement.

Maternity benefit is payable to an insured as a result of pregnancy and confinement.

Conditions, which must be satisfied.

 Maternity benefit is payable only if the woman had been insured for not less than thirty contribution weeks and was engaged in employment for at least twenty of these contribution weeks immediately prior to the claiming date. The claim date in this Maternity benefit refers to;

  · six weeks from the expected date of confinement (from which the benefit can be claimed); or

           · the actual date of confinement.

 Duration.

Maternity Benefit is paid upon the birth of a baby or six weeks prior to the expected date of confinement. Maternity allowance is paid over a three – month (12 weeks) period at the rate of sixty-five (65) percent of Insurable earnings to a woman who meets the qualifying conditions. If she fails to do so but her husband does, a Maternity Grant of $522.00 (subject to review) is paid.

How to claim and support a claim for Maternity Benefit

If a woman is claiming a Maternity Benefit six weeks before the birth of the baby, the doctor should fill out the appropriate space on the N.I.S claim form stating the expected delivery date. If the woman is claiming upon the birth of the baby the registered mid-wife/doctor who delivered the baby should certify this in the appropriate space provided on the claim form. Again the claim form should be filled out and returned to the local N.I.S office promptly.

Rate of benefit.

 · The daily rate of maternity benefit is sixty-five percent of the average weekly insurable earnings of the insured person divided by six.

 · Average weekly insurable earnings for the purpose of this Maternity benefit refers to the sum of the weekly insurable earnings on which contributions were based. This also includes contributions credited to the claimant from previous claims. The weekly insurable earnings is calculated from the continuous calendar period of thirty weeks previous to the week in which the benefit is due to commence, divided by thirty.

Qualifying conditions

The person making the claim should:

· have been registered with the National Insurance for at least seven (7) months (30 weeks)

 · have made at least five (5) months (20 weeks) contributions in the last seven (7) months before the baby's birth.

Important Notice: Maternity Allowance can be claimed six (6) weeks before the baby's birth.

 Disqualifying conditions

A person may be disqualified from receiving a Maternity Benefit because:

· the claimant did not make the required number of contributions

 · the woman returns to work before the three month period expires