Parental Allowance In Greece

Parental Leave In Greece

Staying in greece for an extended period makes you think about starting your family. Of course, you can stay up to a specific period without your family and then think about starting your family. While staying in greece and starting your family can give you a lot of benefits. These benefits include maternity leave, parental leave, and subsequent parental allowance. 

Here, in this guide, we will discuss all the relevant information needed for you to start your family here in greece.  

What Is Parental Allowance In Greece?

Parental allowance stands among the most significant initiative started by the greece government to facilitate its citizens. This allowance covers the cost of bringing up a child. 

This program is for anyone who is a Greek national or, in the case of an ex-pat, the condition is different. Twelve years of permanent and legal residence make you eligible for a social benefit in greece. In addition to 12 years of permanent residence, one should have the same years of tax declaration to get the benefit. The Organization of Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity (OPEKA) is the government-responsible body for distributing these funds.  

Who Can Receive Parental Benefits In Greece?

Every new parent can get the parental allowance, provided they meet the following criteria:

  • If not a greek resident, Living in greece for 12 permanent years
  • Must have recently given birth 
  • Must have contributed to greeks social security system for at least 200 days in the last two years before the expected delivery date. Either parent can apply for this allowance whether they are employed or self-employed. It makes parental allowance accessible to most families, regardless of their current employment status. 

Birth benefit for demographic reasons distributes 2000 euros for parents (according to specific criteria) with annual income up to 40,000 euros. To get this allowance, non-Greek, European, or EEA citizens who came from third countries need to prove 12 years of residency unless the kid is born between 2020-2023, where the residency has been required since 2012.   

For How Long Can You Receive Parental Allowance In Greece?

Parental allowance in Greece is also known as parental leave. During parental leave, the employees will be paid their earnings through social insurance allowance, which Hellenic Manpower Employment Association (OAED) is responsible for paying. The government ensures that people who take time off from work get the full benefit. The government aims to support families who maintain their work life with family. You can claim benefits once you have accumulated at least 200 days of social security allowance. This allowance is not extended to adoptive mothers.

In the public sector, adoptive parents are granted a three-month paid leave in the first six months of adoption if the child is six years of age or less. This leave can be extended to 8 years of age in exceptional circumstances. If both parents are employed in the public sector, they will determine who and at what interval each will use this leave. 

In the case of surrogacy, the parents who obtain the child are entitled to three months of fully paid leave immediately after the child’s birth. In the case of both parents working in the public sector, they can determine at what interval they will use the leave.  

Basic Parental Benefits

Primary parental benefits include 119 days of total leave, 56 days before the expected delivery date, and 63 days post-delivery. Leave before childbirth can also be carried forward after delivery. During this period, if you are employed for up to 1 year, you will get 15 days’ salary. If you are employed with any employer for more than a year, you will get one month’s salary during this leave. 

For public sector employed people, it is mandatory to take leave two months before childbirth and three months after childbirth. These leaves can be adjusted in case of birth before the expected birth date or if the birth took place after the expected date of birth. It is obligatory to take complete leave.  

Childbearing mothers who need special care and have consumed all their sick leave can be granted paid childbearing leave. In case of multiple births, the leave is extended one month for each additional child. 

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Special Parental Benefits

This optional special maternity leave and its protection benefits are for the mothers who have consumed their basic maternity leave and the reduced working hours for the next three and a half months. With the employer’s permission, the parent can work one hour less for up to 30 months after the maternity leave is consumed. Alternatively, employees can get equivalent time off by getting paid leaves, and once it is over, you can not get the hour off from your work schedule. The allowance and conditions are flexible in choosing the best time to take leave based on their circumstance.

For public sector employed people, 100 percent of the earnings are funded through general taxation without any upper limit. There is no condition attached to the length of the service.   

An uninsured parent with a low income will get the benefits of an uninsured parent. And in that case, too, the mother should also not have worked in the last 42 days before and after childbirth. The total allowance for an uninsured parent is 440.20 euros, divided into 220.10 euros before childbirth and 220.10 euros after childbirth. The parents should inform the respective welfare departments of municipalities before childbirth.      

Paternity Leave (Άδεια Γέννησης Τέκνου)

Under paternity leave, fathers are entitled to two off days from work, paid by the employer. For paternity leave, no length of service is required. The same rule applies in both cases, whether you are employed in the private sector or the public sector. 

Flexibility In Parental Leave

Flexibility entitles the parents to take leave until the child turns six years of age, and the leave can be taken as one block or several blocks with employer agreement. If the same employer employs both parents, they can not take leave at the same time, and rather they need to apply for leave alternatively. For different employers, there is nothing mentioned in the law, but as the leave will be unpaid, it will be unlikely that both parents will take it together. 

How Much Parental Leave Will You Receive In Greece?

All working mothers who are directly insured are eligible for maternity leave. The maternity leave (ΆΔΕΙΑ ΜΗΤΡΌΤΗΤΑΣ) policy in greece is the same, which complies with international standards, and that is at least 14 weeks. Mothers who are directly insured will get all the maternity benefits during their maternity leave. 

As per the rule, leave is allocated per child; the leave will be doubled in the case of twins and tripled in the case of triplets. 

Child Care Leave

Child care (ΑΔΕΙΑ ΦΡΟΝΤΙΔΑΣ ΤΕΚΝΟΥ) leave is entitled to one of the working parents with reduced working hours. Parental leave entitles four-month leave per child. Leave is an individual entitlement that cannot be shifted or transferred to someone else. This leave extends to 30 months after the birth or adoption of a kid with reduced working hours by one hour. Or 18 months with two fewer working hours for the first twelve months and one less hour for the remaining months. This alternative use of reduced hours as leave for the care of children is considered part of working time, so it is paid and sponsored by the employer without any upper limit on the payment.  

In the public sector, a parent can take nine months of childcare leave with full payment as an alternative to a scheme where parents opt for reduced working hours. This leave is granted once you have consumed maternity leave and is paid by the employer and funded by general taxation. In the case of a single parent, or severely disabled child, the leave can be extended by one month. 

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How And Where Can I Apply For The Parental Allowance In Greece?

You must submit your application to Greek Social Security Institute to get a Greek parental allowance. The application can be submitted online or at a local Social Security office. The parent has to provide proof of their insurance under the Greek Social Security system and proof of childbirth. The parent should also provide information about their average daily earnings over the last year.

Once the application has been submitted, the Greek Social Security Institute will review the information and decide on the parent’s eligibility for the parental allowance. Once the parent is considered eligible, the allowance will be paid directly to the parent’s account by the Greek Social Security Institute.

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Leave Policy For Early Childhood Period 

The maximum leave period for post-natal care for both parents is 72 months in the public sector and 20 months in the private sector. However, paid leave is usually for 12 months, whether private or public sector. 

Do I Have To Take Parental Leave To Receive Parental Allowance?

Not necessarily. You should not take off to apply for or receive the parental allowance.

Conclusion

The Greek parental allowance is among the top social benefits provided by the greek organization that works under government supervision to facilitate new families. Suppose you are a parent in Greece, an ex-pat, or its citizen, considering taking leave to take care of your child. In that case, it is good that you explore all the options available through The Organization of Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity (OPEKA) for parental allowance. The guide mentioned above will help you to start your family, and we wish you all the best of luck!