Paid Maternity Leave For Freelancers Is Possible
In the last decade, the number of self-employed women has doubled. It is estimated that in Spain, at least 35% of the total is currently in this range.
As we know, the growth of this sector is analyzed by the Ministry of Employment, in particular because most of these workers are of reproductive age and do not seem to be enjoying all the rights that the government offers for maternity.
The main reason why a freelancer does not manage her maternity leave is ignorance of this right. Who should you turn to? Is it a procedure similar to that of salaried people?
According to the secretary of the Union of Professionals and Self-Employed Workers, Sebastián Reyna, the self- employed are governed by the same regulations as the collective in terms of maternity leave.
According to the characteristics of self-employment, some differences stand out in the regulation, but in general everything works the same way. Receiving maternity benefits in the case of the self-employed is conditioned by a series of elements to be mentioned later, but it is entirely possible.
What must be done to obtain the permit?
The first thing to take into account is that if you are over 21 years old, you must have paid Social Security contributions, be up to date with your payment and registered. In the case of women under 21 years of age, a minimum contribution period is not required; for women over this age and up to 26 years of age, they must have contributed an estimated 90 days for seven years before applying.
A woman who has contributed 6 months to Social Security throughout her working life also meets the requirement to access the permit. For the group of women whose age is over 26, the minimum contribution period is 180 days in 7 years or one year of contribution throughout their career.
If this is the case and a woman interested in managing her withdrawal is not up to date with her contributions, she can get the entity to manage a mechanism that allows her to pay off her debt within an estimated period of thirty days. To do this, you must go to the Social Security office and verify your status, as well as the pending amount, if any.
How is the amount and duration of the permit for the self-employed?
In this regard, the regulation is similar to that of the group, it is a continuous 16-week leave, which can be extended in the event of multiple births or complications.
If there were multiple births, an extension of one week is estimated for each child born; Other periods are generated due to premature births or serious circumstances, in which case they are extended to a maximum of 13 weeks over the pre-established maximum.
Regarding the amount of the benefits, it is equivalent to 100% of the base according to the regulation at the time the cancellation request is made. According to an updated calculation, about € 880 is estimated, this according to figures indicated by the General State Budget for 2015 (this amount may increase if more is paid to Social Security by expanding the base).
To increase their benefits, the self-employed can request an increase in the base, that is, pay more in their contributions so that at the time of requesting the leave they can receive more money.
However, the delegates of the Union of Associations of Self-Employed Workers recommend that from the beginning self-employed women make a maternity allowance and start paying a little more in their contributions, because they generally realize how little This is when it is time to collect.
Are there options for freelancers who have not contributed?
There is a subsidy that allows the self-employed to benefit 42 days after giving birth, with a maximum extension of 14 days in case of special situations. Said subsidy is reflected with a daily payment of € 17.7 according to the stipulations of the Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator.
For this benefit to take effect, mothers must continue to pay the contributions they owe to catch up, otherwise they could stop receiving the subsidy. However, another option would be to request a person replacement, that is, a contracted company assumes the payment of the contribution and the self-employed is in debt to the manager.
