However, where a claimant receives her P45 within 14 weeks of her expected date of confinement and she satisfies the PRSI contribution conditions, benefit will be payable from the day after the date on the P45. Length of Time Maternity Benefit is Paid Maternity Benefit is paid for 18 weeks. If your baby is born later than expected and you have less than 4 weeks maternity leave left, you may be entitled to extend your maternity leave to ensure that you have a full 4 weeks off following the week of the birth. In these circumstances Maternity Benefit will continue to be paid to you until the baby is four weeks old. You need to notify the Maternity Benefit Section of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs by sending them a letter from your GP stating the date on which your baby was born.
Payment is made each week in advance.
Rules Maternity Benefit is paid by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs to women who have paid a certain number of PRSI contributions on their own insurance record and who are in recognised work up to the first day of their maternity leave. The last day of work can be within 10 weeks of the expected date of arrival of your baby. This provision applies to you if your maternity leave began on or after 23 March 2001. If you failed to qualify on the basis of the contribution conditions up to 23 March 2001, you are only entitled to claim maternity leave for any period of unexpired certified leave after 23 March 2001. The Relevant Tax Year is the last complete income tax year before the year in which your maternity leave starts.