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My NIS

Maternity Benefit

Maternity Benefit is payable to insured women immediately before or after confinement or to a husband whose wife cannot qualify on her own. Maternity Benefit is divided into two categories:

  • Maternity Allowance
  • Maternity Grant

Maternity Allowance is paid at a rate of 65% of the woman’s average insurable earnings during the 30 weeks immediately before the week that payment of the benefit commences. This benefit is payable for a period of twelve (12) weeks but not earlier than six weeks before expected confinement.

A Maternity Grant is payable after confinement. This benefit is paid to the woman or to the husband of a woman who does not qualify for a benefit. The woman or her husband must have paid 50 contribution weeks at any time after being registered with the NIS.

A certificate of confinement or expected confinement, confirming the actual date of delivery or the expected date of delivery from a registered doctor must accompany a claim for a Maternity Allowance. A midwife can also certify the claim form but only in confinement cases. An original birth certificate must be submitted for babies born outside of Grenada.

To qualify for Maternity Allowance, the claimant must: Be registered with the  NIS for at least 30 weeks; Have paid contributions for at least 20 weeks in the 30-week period immediately preceding    the week of confinement; Be between the ages of 16 and 60

If you return to work prior to the end of the 12 week period while you are receiving Maternity Benefit, you should immediately inform the National Insurance Scheme. Payment will cease immediately when you return to work.

Disqualification

An insured person may be disqualified from receiving a Maternity Benefit if she:

  • Works in any week for which payment will ordinarily be made
  • Fails without good cause to take care of her health or to answer reasonable queries made by an officer of the National Insurance Board designated to ascertain continuing entitlement to the Benefit
  • Fails without good cause to comply with a notice in writing by the Director to undergo medical or other examination
  • Is in receipt of normal insurable earnings

Claims for Maternity Benefit must be filed not earlier than the 6th week before expected confinement or not later than 3 weeks after the date of confinement.

Maternity Benefit FAQs

1) What is the time frame for submission of claims?

 

For sickness benefit you have a period of 4 days from the date of illness. In the case of a maternity benefit the time frame is 3 weeks from the date of confinement. For invalidity, age and survivor benefits you have 3 months from the date of entitlement while for funeral benefits there is a period of 6 months from the date of death of the deceased.