Caregiver: Benefits of Giving Birth While Working in Israel

If you become pregnant and give birth while working in Israel, you are entitled to a maternity leave and several benefits that cover the pregnancy and maternity expenses.

Pregnancy monitoring services

Monitoring services are covered by the private medical insurance policy purchased by your employer,on condition that, that policy was purchased at least nine months before you got pregnant.

National Insurance Benefits

You are eligible to National Insurance maternity benefits (hospitalization grant, maternity grant and maternity allowance) provided you have worked in Israel for at least six consecutive months immediately before birth, and that your employer paid all due National Insurance fees.

You can find detailed information on maternity benefits in this section, as well as on the National Insurance Institute website.

Hospitalization and Maternity Grant

Hospitalization Grant
If you are eligible for National Insurance benefits, all your hospitalization and delivery expenses are covered by the National Insurance Institute. Upon coming to the hospital, do not pay any fee or sign any document committing you to pay hospitalization fees.

Bring your passport with you to the hospital. It is recommended that you bring with you your wage slip, as well as receipts for your employer’s payments to the National Insurance. You should provide the hospital with your bank account number.

If you were pressured by the hospital into paying, keep the receipt and you will be refunded once your eligibility for benefits is recognized.

Note that in any case the hospital must give you the baby’s birth certificate.

Maternity Grant
The Maternity Grant is a payment made by the National Insurance Institute to the mother within a month after childbirth.

As of January 2011, the rates of maternity grant are as follows:

Claim for Hospitalization Grant and Maternity Grant
The claim is submitted to the National Insurance Institute by the hospital in which the birth took place. While at the hospital, you should fill out a Hospitalization and Maternity Grant claim form and include your bank account number.

Maternity leave and maternity allowance

You are entitled to a maternity leave and an allowance of up to 14 weeks. The allowance is equal to your salary and is subject to the same deductions. It is paid at the middle of your maternity leave.

The duration of the paid maternity leave is as follows:

If you have worked for 6-10 months – you are entitled to 7 weeks of paid maternity leave
If you have worked for more than 10 months - you are entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave

You may take up to half the paid leave before the birth. For example, if you have worked for more than 10 months, you may take up to 7 weeks leave before giving birth and the rest after the birth.

In order to receive the Maternity Allowance, fill out the Maternity Allowance claim form (Hebrew, PDF format) and approach the local branch of the National Insurance Institute, with your passport, bank forms with your name and account number, and all relevant hospital certificates.

Note: when filing a claim for maternity allowance, your employer should fill out the relevant fields in the form regarding your salary and length of employment.

Baby's medical insurance

The Ministry of Health offers a program to cover half the cost of the baby's medical insurance. You may sign up for this program immediately after giving birth, at the Ministry of Health offices

Source: www.gov.il