BAKU - Women who do not work outside the home are eligible for Azerbaijan’s one-time childbirth allowance, but maternity-leave payments are reserved for employed women. A separate support mechanism for stay-at-home mothers has been proposed, though no new payment has been approved.
Economist Elchin Rashidov said the one-time allowance paid when a child is born is 600 manats. Families may receive it regardless of whether the mother is employed.
When twins are born, the allowance is paid separately for each child, bringing the total payment to 1,200 manats.
Childbirth Allowance and Maternity Pay Are Different
Rashidov said the childbirth allowance should not be confused with benefits tied to employment. Working women are also entitled to paid maternity leave, while stay-at-home mothers do not receive leave payments because they are not in an employment relationship.
For employed women, maternity benefits are calculated at 100% of average daily earnings, according to the report.
After maternity leave ends, a partially paid social leave is available for childcare until the child turns 3. The monthly payments cited in the report are:
- 44 manats until the child reaches 18 months;
- 28 manats from 18 months until age 3.
A Separate Mechanism Would Require a New Decision
Rashidov said the government could create an additional payment mechanism for mothers who are not employed. Such support would require a separate decision, however, because the existing 600-manat childbirth allowance already applies to working and nonworking mothers on the same terms.
The proposal therefore concerns possible additional assistance, not a benefit that has already been introduced.
Source: Vesti Baku.