Pregnancy, childbirth and parental leave in Estonia: rights, benefits and deadlines

(parental leave + parental leave + parental benefit)

0) The basic logic of the system (to avoid confusion)

In Estonia, the so-called “maternity leave” usually consists of two different parts:

Leave from work with the employer (leave) – this is the right to be temporarily absent from work, retention of the job, etc.
Financial benefit (compensation) – this is support paid by the state (through the Social Insurance Board – SKA).

They are related, but they are not the same thing.

1) Terminology (glossary)

A) Mother’s parental benefit – “mother’s parental benefit”

Financial benefit paid only to the mother in connection with the birth of a child.
Basic rules:

For an employed mother – up to 100 calendar days.
For a non-working mother (if before the EDR there is no employment relationship that would entitle her to the benefit) – 30 calendar days from the birth of the child.
During the period of receiving the benefit, working under an employment contract or in public service is not permitted.

B) Maternity leave – “the mother’s leave” (from the employer)

This is leave that is taken together with the mother’s parental benefit in the case of an employed mother.

An employed mother is entitled to up to 100 calendar days, connected with the expected due date (expected due date – EDR).
Practical meaning: the mother is officially away from work and at the same time receives mother’s parental benefit.

C) Father’s parental benefit – “the father’s (or other parent’s) benefit”

Entitlement to 30 calendar days.
Can be used for 30 days before the EDR until the child turns 3.
While receiving the benefit, working under an employment contract or in public service is not permitted.

D) Paternity leave – “father’s leave” (with the employer)

Leave from work that a working father needs in order to be legally absent from work during the period when he receives the father's parental benefit.

E) Shared parental benefit – “shared parental benefit”

The main and “longer” benefit, which can be shared between the parents.

Usually used from the child's 31st day of life until the child turns 3.
Duration: up to 475 days (in some cases it may be longer – see below).
It can be planned on a day-by-day basis, the benefit recipient can be changed, and under certain conditions, both parents can receive the benefit at the same time for a short period (according to SKA rules).
From 01.01.2026 income is not limited while receiving the benefit, and the benefit is not reduced regardless of the amount of income.
Important restriction: child leave (“child days”) and child leave for a parent of a disabled child may not be used while receiving shared parental benefit or on parental leave.

Receiving the shared parental benefit does not require being on parental leave, and the benefit may also be received while working.

F) Parental leave – “parental leave” (with the employer)

The right to parental leave applies until the child turns 3 years old.
The employee must notify the employer of taking or interrupting parental leave 30 calendar days in advance, unless otherwise agreed.

2) Timeline: when leave can begin and how long it can last

2.1. “70–31 days before the EDD” – the most important period

The explanations provided by SKA and under employment law coincide in their practical recommendation:

It is advisable to start maternity leave 70–31 calendar days before the EDD.

The reason is simple: the start date of maternity leave directly affects whether the family loses benefit days or not.

3) Three scenarios for the mother (and how not to lose days)

Scenario 1 – the mother starts maternity leave exactly 70 days before the EDD

Maternity leave / maternity benefit: 100 days (70 before the EDD + 30 after the EDD).
This is usually followed by shared parental benefit.

Scenario 2 – the mother starts maternity leave 31–69 days before the EDD

(a flexible option without reducing the family’s total number of days)

There is an important nuance here:
days not used by the mother are transferred to the shared parental benefit period and extend its duration.

Official SKA example:
If the mother starts maternity leave 31 days before the EDD:

the mother receives 61 days (31 before + 30 after),
“unused” remains 39 days,
the shared parental benefit is extended to 514 days (475 + 39),
the father additionally has 30 days,
in total, the family receives 605 days of benefits (61 + 514 + 30).

Scenario 3 – the mother begins maternity leave 30 days before the EDD or later

(this is where the days are actually lost)

If the mother starts maternity leave 30 days before the EDD or later, then:

previously unused days are NOT carried over to the shared parental benefit.

Official example from SKA:
If the mother starts 29 days before the EDD:

the mother gets 59 days (29 + 30),
the shared parental benefit remains at 475 days,
the father has 30 days,
a total of 564 days, which is fewer than 605.

SKA's conclusion:
to avoid reducing the family's total benefit entitlement, the mother should start maternity leave at least 31 days before the EDD.

4) Father / other parent: when to use the 30 days and what to consider

4.1. Period of use

30 days can be used from 30 days before the EDD until the child turns 3 years old.
The days may be used consecutively or in parts, but they cannot be transferred to the other parent.

4.2. Work and employers

While receiving the benefit, working under an employment contract or in public service is not permitted.
If the father has several employers, he must take paternity leave with all employers.

4.3. Notifying the employer and the right to refuse

By law, the employer must be notified of paternity leave 30 calendar days in advance, unless otherwise agreed (there are exceptions when giving advance notice is not reasonably possible).
According to SKA practice, it is advisable to discuss this with the employer in advance; when planning, the employer's email address can be entered in the e-service.
Important detail: the employer has the right to refuse a request for paternity leave within 5 calendar days.

5) How much is paid in 2026: minimum, maximum, taxes, payment date

5.1. Minimum and maximum (gross)

According to SKA:

Minimum: €886 per month (gross).
Maximum: 3806,10 € per month (gross).
For the father's parental benefit, SKA has also specified the maximum daily rate: 126,87 € per day.

Important change for 2026:
SKA has separately confirmed that from 01.01.2026 the maximum rate is 3806,10 € per month.

5.2. Taxes and payment schedule

Benefits are subject to income tax.
The benefit is paid on the 8th day of each month for the previous month; if the 8th falls on a weekend or public holiday, payment is made on the preceding working day.

6) How the benefit amount is calculated

(“fair formula”, without complicated mathematics)

6.1. Basis of calculation: 12-month reference period (before pregnancy)

SKA's explanation:

The calculation takes into account 12 full months, beginning 21 months and ending 9 months before the EDD (for the mother) or before the birth (in some cases).
In essence, this means 12 full months before the start of pregnancy.
What counts is income on which social tax has been paid.
This is used to calculate the monthly rate, and the daily rate = monthly rate / 30.
Therefore, payments may vary slightly from month to month (depending on the calendar month).

Official date example from SKA (to understand the 21–9 rule):
If EDD = 01.07.2026, then:

reference period: October 2024 – September 2025 (12 months),
the period October 2025 – June 2026 (9 months) is excluded from the calculation.

6.2. If there was no income or it was very low

SKA clearly explains:

If there was no income during the reference period, the benefit is set at the minimum rate.
If the income was at or below the minimum wage level, the benefit is paid based on the minimum rate.

7) Where and when to submit applications (step by step)

7.1. Main channel – SKA e-service

SKA uses a so-called “offer/package” system:

SKA sends a working mother approximately 80 calendar days before the EDR an email notification and a benefit offer via the self-service portal.
The mother can then use the self-service portal to:
- accept or decline the offer,
- choose the compensation start date.
An unemployed mother will receive an offer after the child's birth, once the child has been registered in the population register.

The offer may include several benefits at once:

mother's parental benefit,
paternity benefit,
shared parental benefit,
childbirth allowance,
child allowance, etc.

7.2. Notifying the employer (the most common source of errors)

In the case of maternity leave and parental leave, the employee must notify the employer 30 calendar days in advance, unless otherwise agreed.
For paternity leave, the Employment Contracts Act also stipulates a 30-calendar-day notice requirement (with exceptions where giving notice is not reasonably possible).

8) Is it possible to work and receive benefits at the same time?

(particularly important from 2026 onwards)

8.1. Mother's and father's parental benefits

According to SKA rules, you may not work under an employment contract or in public service.

8.2. Shared parental benefit

From 01.01.2026, income is not limited and it does not reduce the benefit, regardless of the amount of income.
The rule applies to both “existing” and “new” benefit recipients if the benefit period begins on 01.01.2026 or later.
SKA gives an example where the December salary is paid in January 2026, but the benefit for January remains payable in full.

Important clarification:
The prohibition on working applies only while receiving maternity and paternity parental benefits.
For shared parental benefit, working is permitted, and from 01.01.2026, income is not limited and does not reduce the amount of the benefit.

9) How long can you be on “maternity leave” and how to return to work

9.1. Duration of leave

Maternity leave: up to 100 days (depending on the start date).
Parental leave: until the child turns 3.

9.2. Interrupting parental leave and returning to work

The employer must be notified of the return to work or interruption of parental leave 30 calendar days in advance, unless otherwise agreed.

9.3. Returning to work while receiving shared parental benefit

Sotsiaalkindlustusamet explicitly explains that there are no obstacles – a person may work and receive shared parental benefit at the same time.
From 01.01.2026, this applies without an income limit.

10) Most common special cases (which often cause confusion)

10.1. If the mother does not work under an employment contract

(contract under the Law of Obligations Act, sole proprietor, management board member, etc.)

SKA explanations:

If the mother is entitled to health insurance on the relevant basis, she may receive 100 days of benefits before and after the EDDunder the standard rules.
SKA sends an “automatic offer” only to mothers working under an employment contract; in other cases, you must notify SKA yourself to activate the offer.
If she does not have health insurance, the same rights as those of an employed mother may not apply before the birth, and often only 30 days of benefits after the birthremain applicable.

10.2. If the child is born before or after the EDD

SKA emphasises that, for a working mother, many periods are linked to the EDR, not to the child's actual date of birth.
Therefore, an earlier or later birth does not always change the periods in the way parents expect. SKA provides separate scenarios and dates for this.

10.3. Health insurance and residence in Estonia

SKA notes that family benefits and allowances depend on place of residence.
A registry entry or citizenship alone is not always sufficient – the mother, father and child must actually live in Estonia, subject to the applicable exceptions and conditions.

Practical summary “in 8 points”

The estimated due date (EDR) is the central point of the entire system.
To avoid losing benefit days, it is advisable to start maternity leave no later than 31 days before the EDR.
For an employed mother, SKA usually sends the benefits offer 80 days before the EDD.
The employer must generally be notified 30 days in advance (maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave).
Benefit rates: minimum 886 €, maximum 3806,10 € per month (gross); payment is made on the 8th day of the month.
While receiving the mother's or father's parental benefit, they may not work under an employment contract or in public service.
Shared parental benefit: up to 475 days, available until the child reaches the age of 3; from 01.01.2026, there is no income limit.
You may return to work while receiving shared parental benefit; parental leave can be interrupted and resumed by notifying the employer 30 days in advance.

Pregnancy, childbirth and leave in Estonia: what, where, when and how much is paid