Gov't adopts parential support draft legislation

Government accepted a project of a bill prepared by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy which aims to support parents who do not have health insurance. Help would be provided to unemployed mothers, students and those who work without an employment contract. As stated in the ministry’s new plan, unemployed parents would be given a monthly grant of PLN 1,000 for a year after their child’s birth, and for 71 weeks in case of multiple pregnancy. Those who are insured would be supported as well. The ministry wants the value of the new social benefits to reach the level of minimum maternity benefit that people with employment contracts enjoy. What is important, if one of the parents are entitled to parental benefit, the other one will not be able to apply for the help provided in line with the new legislation, the ministry pointed out. The reform would be implemented in 2016, but parents of children born in 2015 would also benefit from it. According to estimates, the costs would amount to PLN 1.2 billion.