Maternity protection leave

Pregnancy notification should be given immediately. Normally (also for medical reasons) you wait until the 12th week of pregnancy. Dismissal protection is then in place.

The employer must be provided with an official written notification of the pregnancy. It may be necessary to provide confirmation of the pregnancy from a doctor.

Maternity protection leave usually begins eight weeks before the planned date of birth. In the case of multiple births it begins 12 weeks before the planned date of birth.

During the maternity protection period, the mother is entitled to maternity allowance, which will be paid by the health insurance company. Maternity allowance is calculated using the average net income received in the three months before the start of maternity protection leave.

Four weeks before the start of maternity protection, the employee must remind their employer of the date as of which they will no longer be permitted to work.

Fixed-term employment contracts continue until the beginning of maternity protection leave, with the exception of maternity cover.

You will usually have several months to organize work up until the beginning of maternity protection leave and to organize cover during maternity protection leave. Prepare for and organize a talk with your superior. See also: →Leitfaden zu beruflichen Auszeiten on the University of Graz intranet.

Sample letter template for pregnancy notification.

Legal information on maternity protection leave (German only).

Legal basis - the Maternity Protection Act.