More Czech men involved in child care

Illustration

The number of men on parental leave (who are entitled to take maternity benefits*) has increased in the Czech Republic. Data from the Czech Social Security Administration (CSSA) indicates this slightly rising trend. Although women still predominate, 926 Czech men received maternity benefits in the first quarter of 2015, including 179 new ones. In the first quarter of 2014, only 143 men filed to receive maternity benefits. The total number of Czech men receiving maternity benefits in the first quarter of 2014 was 719.

More men are also involved in staying at home with their sick children, and receiving attendance allowances. In the first quarter of 2014, this benefit was taken by 21,776 men. A year later there were already 31,417 men receiving the benefits, which was 9,641 more. The total number of cases where men stayed at home with their sick children and received attendance allowances numbered 31,582 cases in the first quarter of 2015.

Both the above mentioned benefits are paid from the state sickness insurance system. Maternity benefits are the second largest item being pay from the system followed by sickness benefits. Sickness benefits depleted a total of CZK 4 billion in the first quarter of 2015 (it was CZK 3.4 billion last year). Maternity benefits were paid to the amount of CZK 1.8 billion in the first quarter of 2015, which corresponds to approximately the same amount from Q1 2014.

Overview of selected statistical indicators of sickness insurance 2014-2015

(Source: Czech Social Security Administration)

Indicator

Q1 2014

Q1 2015

Maternity benefit

Number of cases of payment

130,727

132,190

 

men

719

926

women

130,008

131,264

Number of new cases of payment

17,859

18,334

 

men

143

179

women

17,716

18,155

Attendance allowance

Number of cases of payment

97,620

140,461

 

men

21,874

31,582

women

75,746

108,879

Number of new cases of payment

97,145

139,578

 

men

21,776

31,417

women

75,369

108,161

Number of paid days

678,972

991,176

 

* Paternity benefits do not exist in the Czech legal system. That is why men receive "maternity" benefits if they are on parental leave.

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Article source Czech Social Security Administration (CSSA) - the largest financial organization of the Czech public administration with annual income and expenses of almost CZK 750 billion. As part of the public administration, the CSSA falls under the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
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