Pregnant; what are your rights?

Hooray, a baby on the way! Pregnancy is not just anything, so it is important to experience the pregnancy as healthily and pleasantly as possible. Below you will find a brief summary of the rights you have as a future mother;

Maternity leave and childbirth leave

You are entitled to 16 weeks of leave. This is divided into 6 weeks of maternity leave and 10 weeks of childbirth leave. You can also shorten the maternity leave to a minimum of 4 weeks, and the remaining 12 weeks can be taken after the birth. The date on which the maternity leave starts depends on the date you expect to give birth. Even if your baby is born later, you are entitled to 10 weeks of leave after the birth.

Breastfeeding & expressing milk

During working hours, you are allowed to breastfeed or express milk until your child is nine months old. This must take place in a suitable and enclosed space; if this is not possible, you may arrange a place yourself or go to your baby. You are allowed a maximum of a quarter of your working time for this.

Working conditions

During your pregnancy, you must not be required to do heavy physical work. In the last three months of pregnancy, you must not bend, squat, kneel, or operate foot pedals more than once an hour per day. Lifting regulations are as follows:
• If lifting is necessary, the weight to be lifted in one action must be less than ten kilos.
• From the twentieth week of pregnancy, you must not lift more than five kilos more than ten times a day.
• From the thirtieth week of pregnancy, you must not lift more than five kilos more than five times a day.
Check the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment for other regulations www.szw.nl

Work and rest times

Working and rest times can be adjusted during pregnancy and up to 6 months after childbirth (except for examinations). You are entitled to the following:
• regular working and rest times
• extra breaks (maximum 1/8 of your working time)
• a suitable, lockable room to rest (with a bed or couch)
• no overtime and night shifts
• pregnancy examinations during working hours

Parental leave

If you care for a child under eight years old and have worked for the same employer for at least a year, you are entitled to parental leave. You can then take 26 times the weekly working hours as unpaid leave. You also do not accrue holiday hours and are not paid if you become ill during parental leave.

View all information about pregnancy or download our brochure.