The Social Security System (SSS) has set at March 11 as the eligibility date for the expanded maternity benefit which cover all female members, including overseas Filipino workers.
The SSS has issued Circular 2019-009, which provides guidelines on the payment of the expanded maternity leave.
According to the circular dated May 17, prenatal and postnatal leave can be credited as maternity leave as long as it does not exceed the number of days allowed.
The Expanded Maternity Leave Law has increased paid maternity leave to 105 days from 60 days. Solo mothers are entitled to additional 15 days. Members who had miscarriages are also entitled to 60 days of paid maternity leave.
The law has also increased the maternity benefit from P32,000 to P70,000.
The employer should fully pay the maternity benefit within 30 days after the employee filed her maternity leave application. The SSS will reimburse the benefit to the employer.
SSS will directly pay OFWs, voluntary members, self-employed members, and eligible members who are temporarily laid off or employed by companies in lockout.
Employers should also pay salary differential, or the amount between the full salary and the SSS maternity benefit.
Subject to the approval of the labor department, establishments may be exempted from paying salary differential if they are micro enterprises with assets not exceeding P3 million, in distress, with less than 10 employees, and already giving similar benefits under a collective bargaining agreement.
