Protection of Maternity Law

The protection of Maternity law was passed in 1987, code numbered 54/87, and applies since then with various amendments.

The aim of this Law is to protect the working woman from possible dismissal during her pregnancy.

The working woman, according to the Law, is entitled to 16 weeks maternity leave. During her maternity leave, the working woman will receive a maternity allowance from the Social Insurance Fund, as set out in the Social Insurance Law.

The maternity leave, where there is a collective agreement, is complemented by the employer to the level of the working woman's salary, for as many weeks as the collective agreement provides for.

The Law protects the working woman from the termination of her employment by her employer from the moment she will notify her employer of her pregnancy, with a certificate from a certified doctor, up to three months after her maternity leave expires.

According to the Law, the employer may be justified in terminating the pregnant woman's services only in three cases:

a) If she commits a serious error or if her conduct is such that justifies the termination of her employment,
b) if the business which employs her closes down, or
c) if she was employed on contract for a limited time, in which case when her contract expires the employer may terminate her services.

The Law gives working women the right to take one hour off work for six months after giving birth, without any income being held back, to take care of and breast-feed her child.

The working woman may use this right in three different ways, in agreement with her employer:

- To go to work one hour late.
- To leave work one hour early.
- To interrupt her work for one hour.

According to the law, maternity leave does not in any way affect the seniority of the woman or her right to promotion or to return to work or the level of her salary.