Pregnancy and maternity leave
Expectant mothers are entitled to pregnancy leave before and maternity leave after the birth of their baby.
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Duration of pregnancy and maternity leave
Pregnancy and maternity leave lasts 16 weeks in total and consists of a period of up to six weeks of pregnancy leave and a period of at least 10 weeks of maternity leave. You can also continue to work up until at least four weeks before your due date and take the time you have saved later. Maternity leave is therefore a maximum of 12 weeks. If you give birth before your due date, your pregnancy and maternity leave lasts 16 weeks in total. There is no reduction in maternity leave if you give birth after your due date: if you have taken 10 weeks of maternity leave, you are always entitled to those 10 weeks of maternity leave. The total leave period, therefore, is always at least 16 weeks and sometimes longer.
Application for pregnancy and maternity leave
You can submit your leave application in DSPE on the Self-service tab > Pregnancy and maternity leave. You can also register your delivery date on this tab. When your child is born, please notify your supervisor as soon as possible.
During maternity leave
The leave remaining after you have taken six weeks of maternity leave may be taken over a period of no more than 30 weeks, following consultations with your supervisor. You submit your request to your supervisor three weeks after your delivery date at the latest.
If your baby is kept in or admitted to hospital, the maternity leave may be extended because you are entitled to ten weeks of maternity leave with your baby at home.
Extended pregnancy leave for multiple pregnancies
Women who are expecting more than one baby can start their pregnancy leave 10 to 8 weeks before their due date. The maternity leave is the same as for single pregnancies, 10 to 12 weeks. If you give birth before your due date, you are entitled to 10 weeks of maternity leave, and the remaining days of your pregnancy leave will be added to your maternity leave. There is no reduction in maternity leave if you give birth after your due date. In total, the leave for multiple pregancies is 20 weeks instead of 16 weeks.
Breastfeeding at work
Once you have resumed your work, it is possible to use a nursing room to breastfeed your child or to pump milk to take home.
Starting date in case of illness
Sometimes your pregnancy leave may start sooner than you expected. If you want to keep working until 4 weeks before your expected due date (8 weeks in the case of a multiple pregnancy), but you fall ill in the two weeks before the start of your pregnancy leave, the leave will start from the day you became sick, regardless the cause of your sickness. If you become sick longer than 6 weeks (in the case of a multiple pregnancy 10 weeks) before your expected due date, then your pregnancy leave will start 6 weeks (for multiple pregnancies 10 weeks) before the expected due date.