[What is the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit?] An easy-to-understand explanation of conditions and applications

A new benefit system called the "Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit" will be established starting April 1, 2025. This will be highly relevant for companies that employ staff. We will explain in detail when it starts, who is eligible, how much you can receive, and how to apply.

What is the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit?

The Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit, which will begin payments in April 2025, is a system established to promote the taking of childcare leave by men. If both parents take childcare leave, you can receive benefits for up to 28 days as an addition to the childcare leave benefits. Like childcare leave benefits, this is tax-exempt and social insurance premiums are waived, so it is considered that you can receive approximately the equivalent of your take-home pay before the leave. This is expected to reduce the financial burden during childcare leave and allow men to focus on childcare by taking leave.

Benefit amount of the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit

The Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit is calculated from the wages before the leave as 13% of the daily wage at the start of leave multiplied by the number of days taken. Since the childcare leave benefit is 67%, the total becomes 80%. Approximately 20% of the gross monthly wage is deducted for social insurance premiums and income tax. During the leave period, social insurance premiums are waived, and since the childcare leave benefit and the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit are tax-exempt, you will receive an amount equivalent to your take-home pay.

Eligibility conditions for the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit

To receive the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit, employees taking childcare leave on or after April 1, 2025, must meet the following conditions. However, even if childcare leave was being taken continuously from before April 1, if the same conditions are met starting from April 1, it will be eligible for payment.

It is considered that those who gave birth around late February will be eligible. Please confirm for employees whose children were born in February or March of this year.

1. Both the employee and their spouse must be workers enrolled in employment insurance
   
   ・Regardless of employment status, such as full-time employees, contract employees, temporary agency workers, part-timers, or part-time workers, they must be enrolled in employment insurance. ・They must have had 12 months or more in which they worked 11 days or more during the two years prior to the start date of the leave, within the period of being an insured person for employment insurance.
   
   

   
   
   

2. Both the employee and their spouse must take 14 days or more of childcare leave
   
   ・Men: Take 14 days or more of post-birth paternity leave (childcare leave at birth) within 8 weeks from the child's expected birth date or the actual birth date, whichever is earlier. ・Women: Take 14 days or more of childcare leave within 8 weeks after the end of maternity leave.
   
   

   
   
   

3. It must not be clear that the labor contract period for both the employee and their spouse will expire within six months after the end of their postnatal leave.

However, in the following cases, you can apply even if the employee's spouse has not taken leave.

1. The employee has no spouse.

2. The spouse does not have a legal parent-child relationship with the employee's child.

3. The employee is living apart from their spouse due to domestic violence.

4. The spouse is unemployed.

5. The spouse is not an employed worker, such as a self-employed person or freelancer.

6. The spouse is currently on postnatal leave.

7. The spouse cannot take childcare leave for reasons other than 1–6.
   *This does not include cases where childcare leave is not taken due to work circumstances.

How to apply for the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit

In principle, the company applies for the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit to Hello Work at the same time as the application for the Childcare Leave Benefit. If the requirements for the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit are met, you simply fill out the additional section on the Childcare Leave Benefit application form and attach the necessary documents.

Required documents

1. Certificate of Monthly Wage at the Start of Leave for Employment Insurance Insured Persons

2. Childcare Leave Benefit Eligibility Confirmation Form / Application for Post-Birth Childcare Leave Benefit / Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit

3. Copy of Maternal and Child Health Handbook, etc.

4. Copy of wage ledger or pay slips (for the 6 months prior to leave)

5. Copy of attendance records or time cards (for the 6 months prior to leave)

6. Documents showing work status during childcare leave (if working partially during leave)

7. Bank account information (copy of bankbook or cash card)

8. The employee's My Number

9. Documents confirming that the eligibility requirements for the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit are met
   • Spouse's employment insurance insured person number
   • Copy of the Certificate of Residence (Juminhyo) for all household members (including relationship)

Since there are documents to be prepared by both the company and the employee, it is advisable to provide guidance in advance and ensure that you can communicate frequently.

Points to note when applying for the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit

The Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit is slightly different from previous childcare leave benefit applications, so you need to pay attention to the following points to avoid being denied payment.

1. Applications cannot be made after the deadline
   The Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit must be applied for within 2 months of starting leave. If the deadline passes, you will not be able to receive the benefit, so early application is important.
   
   

2. If taking leave in two separate periods, an application is required for each
   Post-natal paternity leave (childcare leave at birth) can be taken in up to two separate periods. In that case, you must apply for each leave period.
   
   

3. Working too much during the leave period may result in a reduction or denial of benefits
   • It is required that the number of working days during the leave period is 10 days or less (or 80 hours or less if exceeding 10 days).
   
   • Also, even if you are not working, if the company pays wages to the employee for the leave period, the benefit amount will be reduced or denied accordingly.

Summary

The Postnatal Leave Support Benefit is about to begin. While the procedure itself is not much different from the childcare leave benefit, there are many points to confirm with employees regarding whether they meet the eligibility requirements. Please check everything thoroughly in advance to ensure nothing is missed.