Parental Leave and Benefits in Latvia (maternitātes, paternitātes un vecāku pabalsts)

The Labour Law (Darba likums) gives employees the right to leave around a birth, and the State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA) pays the benefits from social insurance. Maternity, paternity and parental benefit are for employees and the self-employed who have paid contributions for at least 3 of the last 6 months, or 6 of the last 24 months, before the leave starts. Apply to VSAA within 6 months for each benefit, online at latvija.gov.lv or at a client centre. Parents who are not insured receive only the childcare allowance (see Family).

Maternity leave and benefit (maternitātes pabalsts)

• Leave: 56 calendar days before and 56 after the birth (112 days). Add 14 days before the birth if your medical care began by the 12th week of pregnancy and continued, and 14 days after it for complications or a multiple birth. The maximum is 140 days.
• Benefit: 80% of your average insured earnings over the 12 months ending two months before the leave starts. Months without insured income count at 70% of the national average.
• Your doctor issues sick-leave certificate B; VSAA pays in two parts, before and after the birth.
• A woman who lost her job no earlier than 60 days before the leave can still receive it.

Paternity leave and benefit (paternitātes pabalsts)

• 10 working days of leave for the father, taken straight after the birth but no later than 6 months after it. If paternity is not established, another person chosen by the mother can take it.
• Benefit: 80% of average insured earnings, converted to working days with a fixed coefficient of 1.46.
• From 2026, if the employer grants 10 days for each child of a multiple birth, the benefit is paid for each child.

Parental leave and parental benefit (bērna kopšanas atvaļinājums, vecāku pabalsts)

• Leave: every employee may take up to 1½ years for each child, until the child turns 8. It can be taken in one block or in parts of at least a week, with one month's written notice. Your job is protected.
• Benefit (2026): choose 13 months at 60% or 19 months at 43.75% of average insured earnings. One parent receives the basic part (9 months until the child turns 1, or 15 months until 1½), which includes the post-birth maternity period. Each parent also has a non-transferable part of 2 months, usable until the child turns 8, also at the same time as the other parent.
• If you work while receiving the basic part, it is normally paid at 50%; in 2026 it is paid at 75%. The non-transferable part is paid only while you are on leave.
• Since 1 July 2026 the child must have a Latvian personal code and live permanently in Latvia (EU coordination rules apply if the other parent lives or works in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland).

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• The 13- or 19-month choice is final. Compare both before you apply.
• If you started work recently, you may not yet meet the 3-of-6-months condition. Ask VSAA whether insurance periods from another EU country can be counted.
• Any income during maternity benefit, including royalties, stops the payment.
• A non-transferable part that is not used before the child turns 8 is lost.

Official guidance: VSAA: maternity benefit, VSAA: paternity benefit, VSAA: parental benefit, VSAA: non-transferable part, Labour Law