A significant change is underway in Greece regarding the pregnancy and maternity benefit. Under the new draft bill by the Ministry of Labour, insured employment days will be counted cumulatively across multiple former funds and employers, making it easier for working mothers to access support.
What is to Change
Up until now, employees had to demonstrate 200 insured workdays within the same former insurance fund in the two years before the expected birth. This, however, excluded women who had recently changed jobs or sectors, even if they had sufficient insurance history overall.
The new rule will allow the 200 days to be aggregated across different funds and employers. For example, a mother with 140 days in one fund and 60 in another will now qualify for the benefit.
The maternity benefit, paid by e-EFKA, will continue this way to cover 119 days in total. More precisely, 56 days before birth and 63 days after.
Why It Matters
This change, if applied, will remove a barrier that left many mothers without support despite meeting the law's purpose. It reflects the reality of today's labour market, where careers are often mobile and insurance histories fragmented. Beyond correcting an unfair exclusion, the measure will also:
- Strengthen family protection by ensuring broader access to financial support.
- Reduce administrative hurdles by simplifying eligibility checks.
- Align with the wider demographic policy, which aims to support parenthood.
Additional Reforms
The draft bill also introduces measures to reinforce family support in a broader manner:
- Parental leave allowance will be tax-free, non-assignable, and non-seizable.
- Post-natal leave is extended to foster mothers.
- Previous reforms already extended maternity leave from 6 to 9 months in the private sector, expanded entitlements to the self-employed and farmers, and allowed partial transfer of leave to fathers.
Together, these changes demonstrate a continued policy focus on strengthening maternity and parental rights in Greece.
What Eurofast can Do
At Eurofast, we support employers and employees in navigating these updates by:
- Assisting with the e-EFKA application process and required documentation.
- Configuring payroll systems to reflect statutory benefits correctly.
- Updating internal HR and leave policies to remain fully compliant.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
