Pregnancy & Maternity Leave
Insured employees are entitled to a period of 16 weeks of pregnancy and maternity leave and must report online to SZV 2 months before the Expected Due Date (EDD).
Pregnancy Leave
The pregnancy leave is two (2) (minimum) to eight (8) (maximum) weeks before the estimated due date. The choice of when to start the pregnancy leave will be up to the pregnant employee. A female employee will have the choice to work up until two (2) weeks before her due date, as long they are fit to work at a 100% capacity (pending they have no health issues that may put the pregnancy at risk).
Note: Employees who are on sick-leave due to other reasons, do not have the option to choose the start date of the pregnancy leave.
Maternity Leave
The maternity leave is at least seven (7) weeks after the actual delivery date.
Who
ZV and OZR Insured.
Procedure
1. Get a signed letter from your gynecologist or midwife, indicating your due date. Make a scan copy of this.
2. Report to SZV online 2 months before the expected due date. Click here for the online form.
3. E-mail a scanned copy of the signed letter from your gynecologist or midwife stating your due date to sickleave@szv.sx.
4. SZV will e-mail you about your approved pregnancy & maternity leave. You must give this e-mail to your manager/HR.
Info needed
- Valid Medical Insurance Status. You can check your status in your MySZV account.
- If you are ZV insured, your yellow card number.
- The signed letter from your gynecologist or midwife, indicating your due date.
- Active personal e-mail address.
- Active phone number.
Reminder to Employers
Only 80% of daily wages will be reimbursed by SZV.
Article 3.2 of the sickness ordinance (ZV) (AB 2013 GT 802) stipulates that pregnancy and childbirth are considered sickness. Therefore, in accordance with article 5.2 of the sickness ordinance, female employees will receive 80% of their daily wages during their pregnancy and maternity leave. This means that the employer is entitled to a reimbursement by SZV for the 80% of the daily wages that was paid to the female employee. This can be requested via the Loss of Wages procedure.
FAQ’s
What to do if I am on sick leave before maternity leave?
You follow the regular AO-Control procedure.
Who should pay my salary during pregnancy and maternity leave?
By law, the employer is at all times responsible for administering the full (100%) paid leave of their female employees due to pregnancy and childbirth, for a period of 16 weeks.
What if I deliver premature or late?
The pregnancy and maternity leave combined should be sixteen (16) weeks.
- In the case of a premature delivery: the female employee will receive additional maternity leave.
- In the case of a late delivery: the female employee will receive maternity leave of minimum seven (7) weeks.
How is the leave period calculated?
Please see below example calculation:
Two (2) weeks pregnancy leave < > Fourteen (14) weeks maternity leave
Three (3) weeks pregnancy leave < > Thirteen (13) weeks maternity leave
Four (4) weeks pregnancy leave < > Twelve (12) weeks maternity leave
Five (5) weeks pregnancy leave < > Eleven (11) weeks maternity leave
Six (6) weeks pregnancy leave < > Ten (10) weeks maternity leave
Seven (7) weeks pregnancy leave < > Nine (9) weeks maternity leave
Eight (8) weeks pregnancy leave < > Eight (8) weeks maternity leave
Note:
- The estimated due date is required to start the pregnancy leave, this must be written on the pregnancy declaration form provided by a General Practitioner (GP)/ Mid-wife/ Specialist (Gynecologist/ Obstetrician).
- The actual delivery date is required to determine the maternity leave.
