In brief
- In everyday parlance, the term ‘maternity leave’ refers to two separate types of leave: leave in connection with pregnancy and childbirth — lasting 126 calendar days (70 before childbirth + 56 after), and in certain cases — 140 or 180 days; for childcare — until the child reaches the age of three.
- Maternity leave begins from the 30th week of pregnancy on the basis of a medical certificate (for persons affected by the Chernobyl accident in categories 1–3, from the 27th week).
- Insured persons are paid 100 per cent of their average earnings regardless of their length of service: in 2026, the payment for 126 days ranges from 35,792,82 to 715,848.84 UAH (if the last month of the calculation period falls in 2026). Uninsured persons are granted 7,000 UAH per month.
- From 1 January 2026 (in accordance with Law No. 4681-IX) a one-off childbirth allowance of 50,000 UAH and a monthly payment of 7,000 UAH until the child reaches the age of 1 have been introduced. The ‘eYasla’ benefit of 8,000 UAH (from 1 to 3 years of age) is provided to parents who have returned to full-time work.
Two types of leave referred to as ‘maternity leave’
The term ‘maternity leave’ encompasses two different types of social entitlements. During both types of leave, the employee’s job and position are fully retained.
| Criteria | Maternity leave | Parental leave |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 126, 140 or 180 calendar days | Until the child reaches the age of 3 |
| Who is eligible | Only the woman (based on a medical certificate) | To the mother, father, grandmother, grandfather or other relative who is actually caring for the child |
| Basis | Medical certificate, application, order | Application, order |
| Payments | 100 per cent of the average wage (insurance benefit) | State support for families with children |
| Insurance record | Counts towards the service record for annual basic leave | Counts towards total, continuous and insurance service, as well as service in a specific profession (does not count towards annual leave entitlement — Article 181 of the Labour Code) |
The provision regarding 126 days’ leave is sometimes mistakenly cited with reference to Article 178 of the Labour Code. This is incorrect: Article 178 governs the transfer of pregnant women to lighter work.
How long does maternity leave last?
| Case | Before childbirth | After childbirth | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal delivery of a single child | 70 days | 56 days | 126 days |
| Two or more children or a complicated delivery | 70 days | 70 days | 140 days |
| Victims of the Chernobyl disaster, categories 1–3 | 90 days | 90 days | 180 days |
In accordance with Article 17 of the Law ‘On Leave’, the postnatal portion of maternity leave is calculated from the date of childbirth. At the woman’s request and in the absence of medical contraindications, the prenatal portion may be carried over to the postnatal period. The total duration of the leave is not reduced as a result, as it is calculated cumulatively (Article 20 of the Law ‘On Leave’).
The duration of 180 days for victims of the Chernobyl disaster is guaranteed by paragraph 10 of Part 1 of Article 30 of Law No. 796-XII. A medical certificate for this period is issued to persons classified as belonging to categories 1–3 of victims (Section III of Ministry of Health Order No. 1066). Payment is made at 100 per cent of earnings, regardless of length of service.
When to take maternity leave and what documents are required
A medical certificate under the ‘Pregnancy and Childbirth’ category is issued from the 30th week of pregnancy for 126 calendar days (Section III of Ministry of Health Order No. 1066). An additional 14 days are issued as a separate certificate in the event of the birth of two or more children or a complicated delivery. For persons affected by the Chernobyl accident (categories 1–3), the certificate is issued from the 27th week for 180 days.
If the birth takes place before the 30th week of pregnancy, the medical certificate is issued immediately for 140 calendar days. The issuance of the certificate may be deferred to a later date upon submission of an application in the prescribed form.
List of required documents:
Medical certificate, on the basis of which an electronic sick note (e-sick note) is automatically issued.
The employee’s application specifying the start date of the leave.
The employer’s order granting the leave.
Claim form, which the employer submits to the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU) to secure funding for the benefit.
An application for payment must be made no later than six calendar months from the end of maternity leave (Article 24(5) of Law No. 1105-XIV).
How much is paid to insured persons and how is the amount calculated
The benefit amounts to 100 per cent of the average wage for the entire period of leave, regardless of the length of insurance service (Article 19 of Law No. 1105-XIV).
Step-by-step calculation procedure:
Determine the calculation period: take the wages for the 12 months preceding the month in which the insured event occurred.
Count the days: calculate the number of calendar days of employment during the period, excluding days not worked for valid reasons.
Calculate the average daily wage: divide the total wage by the number of days (clause 3 of Order No. 1266).
Multiply by the duration of the leave: multiply the average daily wage by the number of days’ leave (126, 140 or 180) (paragraph 2 of Order No. 1266).
Check the limits: compare the average daily payment with the minimum (284.07 UAH) and maximum (5,681.34 UAH) limits (paragraph 3 of clause 2 and clause 4 of Order No. 1266, Part 2 of Article 19 of Law No. 1105-XIV). If it is less than the minimum or greater than the maximum, the calculation is carried out using the relevant limit.
Calculation example: A monthly salary of 20,000 UAH amounts to 240,000 UAH over the 12-month calculation period (Step 1). The number of calendar days of employment is 365 (Step 2). Average daily wage: 240,000 ÷ 365 = 657.53 UAH (Step 3). Benefit for 126 days: 657.53 × 126 = 82,848.78 UAH (Step 4). As the average daily payment (657.53 UAH) falls within the range of 284.07 UAH to 5,681.34 UAH, no adjustment is required.
The limits are calculated from the monthly amount using the coefficient 30.44:
Maximum limit: is calculated based on the maximum social security contribution base (172,940 UAH per month). The average daily payment is 172,940 ÷ 30.44 = 5,681.34 UAH. The maximum payment for 126 days is 715,848.84 UAH.
Minimum limit: is calculated based on the minimum wage (8,647 UAH). The average daily payment is 8,647 ÷ 30.44 = 284.07 UAH. The minimum payment for 126 days is 35,792.82 UAH.
If you have been employed at your last main place of work for less than 12 months, the calculation period will be the full calendar months actually worked (clause 26 of Order No. 1266).
| Figure for 2026 | Amount | How calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum average daily wage | 5,681.34 UAH | 172,940 ÷ 30.44 — if the last month of the calculation period falls in 2026 |
| Minimum average daily payment | 284.07 UAH | 8,647 ÷ 30.44 |
| Maximum over 126 days | 715,848.84 UAH | 5,681.34 × 126 |
| Maximum for 140 days | 795,387.60 UAH | 5,681.34 × 140 |
| Minimum over 126 days | 35,792.82 UAH | 284.07 × 126 |
The minimum wage from 1 January 2026 is 8,647 UAH (Article 8 of the Law ‘On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2026’ No. 4695-IX). Article 32 of the same Act sets the maximum basis for calculating the Unified Social Contribution (USC) at 20 times the minimum wage — 172,940 UAH. The provision of the special budget law for 2026 supersedes the general provision of Article 1 of Law No. 2464-VI (which provided for 15 minimum wages).
What has changed in payments from 1 January 2026
Law No. 4681-IX and CMU Resolution No. 1805 have updated the system of state support for families with children. The amount of the one-off childbirth grant (50,000 UAH) is set out in Article 11 of Law No. 2811-XII, whilst other types of assistance for 2026 are specified in the final and transitional provisions of this law.
| Type of payment | Amount | Eligibility criteria |
|---|---|---|
| One-off childbirth allowance | 50,000 UAH | For children born after 31 December 2025. The application must be submitted no later than 12 months from the date of birth. |
| Monthly childcare allowance until the child reaches 1 year of age | 7,000 UAH (10,500 UAH — for a child with a disability) | Paid monthly until the child reaches 1 year of age. |
| ‘eYasla’ allowance | 8,000 UAH (12,000 UAH — for a child with a disability) | Provided from the month following the child’s first birthday until the age of 3. Condition: the recipient has been caring for the child and has started working full-time (Article 12-6 of Law No. 2811-XII). |
| Maternity allowance for the uninsured | 7,000 UAH per month | Paid for the entire period of maternity leave (126 or 140 days). Does not apply to female military personnel or police officers. |
| ‘Baby Package’ | Benefit in kind or compensation | Provided at the woman’s request from the 36th week of pregnancy. |
Monthly support until the child reaches 1 year of age is also available to parents of children born before 2026, provided the child has not yet reached 1 year of age as at 1 January 2026. Parents of children under the age of 3 who have returned to full-time work can apply for the ‘eYasla’ allowance. Payments scheduled before 1 January 2026 will continue to be paid at the previous rates until the end of their term. The restriction ‘for children born after 31 December 2025’ applies only to the one-off payment of 50,000 UAH.
Maternity benefits for non-working women and sole traders
Uninsured women (including minors) receive pregnancy and childbirth benefits from the Pension Fund of Ukraine amounting to 7,000 UAH per month for the entire duration of their maternity leave. Applications can be submitted via the ‘Diya’ portal, the Pension Fund of Ukraine’s online portal, the Ministry of Social Policy’s social portal, or in person on paper.
Sole traders (FOP) are eligible for the payment provided they have paid the single social contribution (SSC) for the months of the calculation period and, without fail, for the month in which the insured event occurred.
Female military personnel and police officers (Part 2 of Article 4 of Law No. 2811-XII): the benefit is calculated not as a fixed amount, but as 100 per cent of the average monthly pay (paragraph 10 of CMU Resolution No. 1805).
It is important to distinguish between the following: There are two different amounts of 7,000 UAH within the benefits system. The first is a payment for the period of maternity leave (126 or 140 days); the second is a monthly child-care allowance until the child reaches the age of 1.
Who funds the payment and when the money is paid
For insured persons, the employer calculates and pays the benefit, receiving funds from the Pension Fund of Ukraine upon submission of a claim form. Payment is made on the next pay day following receipt of the funds.
For uninsured persons, the allowance is granted and paid directly by the Pension Fund of Ukraine into the specified bank account.
Paternity leave for men and relatives
One-off paid leave upon the birth of a child: lasts up to 14 calendar days (excluding public holidays and non-working days). It is granted to a husband whose wife has given birth, or to the child’s father (if the parents are not married but live together). Such leave is granted to a grandmother, grandfather or other adult relative only if the mother or father is a single parent (Article 19-1 of the Law ‘On Leave’). An application for this leave must be made within 3 months of the child’s date of birth.
Leave to care for a child under 3 years of age: may be taken in full or in instalments by the mother, father, grandmother, grandfather or other relatives who are actually caring for the child (Article 179 of the Labour Code).
Social safeguards: dismissal, martial law and work
Protection against dismissal: The dismissal of pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of 3 on the employer’s initiative is prohibited (Article 184 of the Labour Code). An exception is the complete liquidation of the enterprise, but even then dismissal is permitted only subject to mandatory subsequent re-employment.
Guarantees during martial law: Ukrainian laws continue to protect the rights of mothers. Under Law No. 2136-IX, an employer is not entitled to dismiss a female employee whilst she is on maternity leave or childcare leave, nor may they refuse to grant such leave.
Working whilst on leave: Whilst on childcare leave, you may work part-time or remotely (from home) whilst retaining your right to leave (Article 179 of the Labour Code).
Leave until the child reaches 6 years of age: If a child requires home care for medical reasons, one of the parents must be granted unpaid leave for the period specified in the medical certificate, but not exceeding the child’s 6th birthday (Article 179 of the Labour Code, paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Article 25 of the Law ‘On Leave’).
A second maternity leave whilst on parental leave
If a second pregnancy occurs whilst on parental leave for the first child, there are two options:
To terminate the parental leave for the first child upon application and issue an order granting leave in connection with pregnancy and childbirth (Ministry of Economy Clarification No. 4712-06/34400-07).
Do not interrupt the current leave.
Regarding payments: In accordance with Article 18 of Law No. 1105-XIV, maternity benefit for the period coinciding with leave to care for a child under 3 years of age is paid in full — one payment does not preclude the other.
Jobs on Injobe for those returning from maternity leave
As of 8 September 2026, there were 26 active vacancies on Injobe, 11 of which were remote, accounting for 42.3 per cent of all vacancies.
Draft Labour Code: will maternity leave be reduced to 4 months?
No, this is a myth. The Ministry of Economy has officially refuted this information. The draft of the new Labour Code fully retains both the 126 days’ maternity leave and parental leave until the child reaches the age of three.
The ‘4 months’ mentioned refers to additional paid parental leave (2 months each for the mother and father), which is planned to be introduced as a new European social guarantee in addition to the existing ones.
