Guidelines for granting childcare leave (up to 2 years)

What is it?

This is a leave granted based on the choice of the family (to the mother, father, grandmother, grandfather or other relatives who are actually raising the child) to care for the child until the child turns 2 years old. However, only the father and the mother are granted two non-transferable months of childcare leave each, which cannot be transferred to anyone else during this leave. This means that if the mother and father of the child do not take this two-month leave, the childcare leave is shortened to 22 months (instead of 2 years) and no benefits are paid for these two months of the leave.

When is this leave granted?

This leave can be granted immediately after the end of pregnancy and maternity leave (or at any time later) and last until the child turns 2 years old. It is important to know that when one parent takes two non transferable months of leave, the other parent cannot simply not work at the same time and is required to cancel the childcare leave and officially return to work. For this reason, it is most convenient when, for example, the mother takes two non transferable months immediately after the end of pregnancy and maternity leave, and the father takes the childcare leave at the end, when the mother is about to return to work after 2 years.

Can this leave be taken in parts?

Yes, this leave can be taken all at once, in parts or alternately. However, there is an important rule that both parents cannot take a part of the non transferable two-month childcare leave at the same time.

How to take this leave?

This leave can only be taken (or returning to work before the end of this leave is possible) after giving the Employer a written notice no later than 14 calendar days in advance.

Am I entitled to any benefits?

Yes, you are entitled to the benefit, if you have accumulated at least 12-month qualifying period for maternity social insurance over the past 24 months.

How much is this benefit?

A benefit amounting to 78 percent (this corresponds to 100 percent of the previous salary after taxes) of your compensated salary, which is calculated based on your insured income, is paid during the non-transferable months of childcare. The benefit is paid in the following order during the remaining months:

– 45 percent is paid during the first year (58 percent after taxes);

– 30 percent is paid during the second year (38.67 percent after taxes).

There is a “floor” and a “ceiling” applicable to the benefit, which limit the amount of the benefit:

– Childcare benefit “ceiling”: the benefit cannot exceed 2 national average monthly salaries (hereinafter referred to as the AMS) established during the previous quarter before the date of the title to receive a paternity benefit.

– Childcare benefit “floor”: the benefit cannot be less than 8 basic social benefits (the basic social benefit amounts to EUR 55 in 2024).

IMPORTANT (I): your insured income is the income from which social insurance contributions are calculated. Therefore, it includes your salary, however, it does not include your daily allowances. If you did not work, took an unpaid leave, or were sick during the assessment period, the average insured income decreases, thus the benefits decrease accordingly.

IMPORTANT (II): in the event of the birth of two or more children, the childcare benefit is increased taking into account the number of children born at the same time, however, the total amount of benefits paid to you cannot exceed 78 percent (this corresponds to 100 percent of the previous salary after taxes).

IMPORTANT (III): if a child is raised by a single parent, he / she is entitled to all four months of childcare leave instead of the two months, for which he / she would be paid a benefit amounting to 78 percent, which corresponds to 100 percent of the previous salary after taxes).

Are any taxes deducted from this benefit?

Yes, personal income tax (15 percent) and compulsory health insurance premium (6 percent) are deducted from the calculated amount of the benefit. The amount would be transferred to your specified bank account after deducting these taxes.

Who pays the benefit?

The benefit is paid by Sodra.

How to receive the benefit?

Several applications need to be filled out at Sodra in order to receive the benefit: – application for granting a childcare benefit, GPS23, or non-transferable childcare leave in months, GPS26; – application for the application of a tax-free income amount, GPS9.

IMPORTANT: in the event that this leave would be taken in parts, the applications must be submitted or withdrawn again each time.

What is the term set for filing an application to Sodra?

No later than within 12 months, counting from the end of the period for which you are entitled to receive the benefit.

How to fill out an application for the benefit?

IF YOU ARE ABROAD

Method 1: online, by logging into your personal Sodra account for a resident and selecting the application for pregnancy and maternity benefit as well as the period of pregnancy and maternity leave, GPS2.

Method 2: by mail, by filling out and signing the application form physically (the application form is attached). Any application sent by mail must be accompanied by a copy of your identity document certified by a notary of any country attached to the application.

IMPORTANT: in the event that the copy of your identity document is issued abroad, this document must be certified with an Apostille certificate or legalised, except for documents issued in: Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, or Moldova4.

IF YOU ARE IN LITHUANIA

Method 1: online, by logging into your personal Sodra account for a resident and selecting the application for pregnancy and maternity benefit as well as the period of pregnancy and maternity leave, GPS2.

Method 2: by mail, by filling out and signing the application form physically (the application form is attached). Any application sent by mail must be accompanied by a copy of your identity document certified by a notary of any country attached to the application.

IMPORTANT: in the event that the copy of your identity document is issued abroad, this document must be certified with an Apostille certificate or legalised, except for documents issued in: Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, or Moldova. If the copy of the document is certified by a Lithuanian notary, the document does not need to be additionally certified with an Apostille or legalised.

Method 3: in person by coming to any Sodra department. You must register for an appointment here in advance. An employee would fill out the application for you and submit it to you for signing.

What documents should you have with you?

1. A document confirming the identity of the person (passport, personal identity card, residence permit in Lithuania).

2. Details of the account to which the benefit would be transferred.
3. If the child was born outside of Lithuania: the child’s birth certificate. If the details provided in the child’s birth certificate are insufficient to grant the benefit, a document confirming the registration of the child’s birth is required. These documents must also be certified with an Apostille certificate or legalised, as well as translated into Lithuanian and certified by a person authorised to certify translations from one language to another, except for documents issued in: Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, or Moldova.

What additional documents may be required?

1. A transcript of the order on granting the leave, if the Employer has not submitted this data to Sodra yet. You can obtain this information from the Employer or from a Sodra employee.
2. The Employer’s certificate on the calculated insured income, if you are paid additional employment-related benefits during the leave period. The Employer can submit this certificate by logging into their personal Sodra account to the insured, where the recommended certificate form is provided.

Can I work?

Yes, but you must notify your Employer about your decision first; should you decide to stop working and proceed with taking the leave at a later time, you would need to submit an application to the Employer for granting childcare leave. In turn, the Employer would submit the necessary documents and information to Sodra.

Would the benefit be reduced if I went on a childcare leave but continued to work?

Yes, the benefit would be reduced. In order for the benefit not to be reduced, the amount of your benefit and additional income must not exceed 100 percent of the previous average salary (based on which the childcare benefit was calculated). Meanwhile, if you receive income from work or benefits during non-transferable months of childcare, you would be paid the difference between the amount of childcare benefit and the income received, with certain exceptions, e.g., when a single parent raises a child, or if the benefit received together with additional income does not exceed the minimum monthly salary, etc.

When will I receive the money?

The decision on the granting of the benefit is made no later than within 10 business days following the receipt of the application with all necessary documents and data by Sodra. The benefit is paid for the previous month no earlier than on the 15th day of the month and no later than on the last day of the month by transfer to the account specified in the application.

(1) Documents are certified with an Apostille certificate when they are intended for use in countries that have joined the 1961 Hague Convention, and they are legalised when they are intended for use in countries that are not party to this Convention. The list countries that have joined the 1961 Hague Convention of is available on the official website of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH): https://www.hcch.net/. There, select Section “Apostille Convention” and view the list of “Contracting Parties”. There you need to select the “Apostille Convention” section and view the list of “Contracting Parties”.