Maternity protection

The statutory maternity protection for pregnant women and nursing mothers is regulated in the Maternity Protection Act. The pupil, student, pregnant woman or breastfeeding woman in dependent employment or similarly employed and her child are to be protected from health risks as well as from excessive demands at work or in training, from financial losses and from losing her job during pregnancy and for some time after the birth. The maternity protection period begins six weeks before childbirth and normally ends eight weeks, in the case of medical premature births or multiple births, and twelve weeks after childbirth if the child is disabled.

In order for the employer to comply with the maternity protection regulations, it is advisable to inform the employer as soon as possible about the pregnancy and the expected date of birth. In this way, the workplace, workload and work equipment can be arranged in such a way that the pregnant woman and her child are adequately protected from hazards.