Pregnancy benefit and sick leave while pregnant

Not only is it incredibly emotional to discover that you’re pregnant – it can also turn your job upside down. Because regardless of what you do for work, pregnancy will affect your job one way or another. So it might be nice to know that in many places, you are entitled to make extra demands of your employer when you’re pregnant. In some places, it’s the law that pregnant people cannot be subjected to any health or safety risks. This means that your employer is obligated to make sure that when you are pregnant, you do not come into contact with contagions or hazardous substances, or carry out work at tall heights. If you have a job that involves things like this, your employer has to modify your work or make sure you are moved. In addition, pregnant people should not have to do heavy tasks, especially late in pregnancy, when your back is already under a great deal of pressure. Many workplaces have a safety officer to whom you can turn, but it’s also good to bring up these kinds of questions with your doctor or midwife at your first appointment.

Pregnancy benefit or sick leave?

If your employer cannot guarantee a safe work environment, you might be able to apply for a pregnancy benefit. How early you are entitled to the pregnancy benefit could depend on why you are getting it; the risks of coming into contact with hazardous substances usually apply from the same day, while a pregnancy benefit for physically demanding work typically won’t enter into force until later in pregnancy. Contact the appropriate authority where you live to find out what applies in your situation.

Going on sick leave is the option when you are experiencing so much physical difficulty that you actually cannot work. “Just” having “normal” pregnancy-related ailments doesn’t usually count as a sickness, but if you are suffering severely – or if for some reason you’ve been instructed to go on bed rest – then you might need to go on sick leave during pregnancy. It is more common for people carrying multiples to go on sick leave towards the end of pregnancy, just because this scenario is even tougher on the body. If sick leave is necessary, a doctor might write you a certificate that you may need to submit to the relevant agency.

Parental leave during pregnancy

If you don’t have a pregnancy benefit and if you have not gone on sick leave, then in some places you might be able to start your parental leave before giving birth – or drop down to a certain percentage of your working hours. The qualifying income for sickness benefit will not typically be affected if you stop working or reduce your hours during the last six months, but it depends a bit on what your work situation was like before, so just in case, contact the relevant agency where you live for more details.

How long should you work while pregnant?

Even if you don’t go on sick leave, your body can often experience quite a lot of wear and tear late in pregnancy, so taking a few weeks off before your baby comes is quite smart. How close to giving birth you can handle working will depend on your health and well-being, and what you do for work. But remember: all pregnant people need to take care of themselves and try to take extra breaks for rest and recovery. If your life and work are too stressful, it might cause more Braxton-Hicks contractions which you can see as a sign that you ought to take it a little easier.

When should you tell people at work that you’re pregnant?

The main rule is to tell your employer at least two months in advance about when and how long you want to go on parental leave. In some workplaces, collective agreements stipulate different rules, so it may be good to check with your union representative about what applies in that case. If you want to stay home earlier than you had initially decided, then always talk to your employer – if it’s a thoughtful workplace, hopefully you’ll be able to resolve the issue. If you are being discriminated against during pregnancy or parental leave, contact your union representative, union, or equality ombudsman (DO).

10-day temporary parental benefit for father or co-parent

In Sweden, the parent who is not pregnant is also entitled to be at home with a so-called temporary parental benefit for 10 days, in order to be present at the birth, get to know their new little one, and help out mum, who has just given birth . These days are intended for the parent who isn’t giving birth, but if you’re a single parent , you can apply to have them allotted to a friend or family member. In Sweden, you apply for compensation for these 10 days through the Swedish Social Insurance Agency when you are back at work again. One good thing to know is that these days expire if you don’t use them within the first 60 days of coming home from the maternity ward. If you’ve had multiples, the number is 10 days per baby – i.e., 20 days for twins, 30 days for triplets.

Double days – simultaneous parental leave

If you don’t feel that 10 days together right after the baby is born are enough, you can take parental leave at the same time in Sweden. A ‘double day’ is when parents take parental leave at the same time for the same baby. The idea here is for parents to have the chance, during the baby’s first year, to build a stronger bond with the baby by being at home on parental leave simultaneously. This works more or less as it sounds: when parents take out double days, two days are subtracted from the total amount of leave available – one for each parent. You can take a total of 30 double days and if you have not taken them before the baby is one year old, they disappear.

Please note that all information above is based on Swedish recommendations.