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NIB_Maternity benefit ( PDF )

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MaternityBenefit &Grant

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*MaternityBenefitMaternityBenefitisa payment made weeklytoeligible insured women whiletheyremainathome during late preg nancy and confinement.Confinementmeans labour result ing inthebirthofa live childor,inthecaseofa still born, labourafter24 weeks. Thebenefitispaidata weekly rateof66.66 percentofthewoman's average insured income,witha rangeof$66.42 per weekasaminimumpayment, and $333.30perweekasa maximum payment.TOQUALIFYFORMATERNITYBENEFIT,awomanmust sat isfytwocontributionconditions:*Shemusthave paidatleast 50contributionsintotheNational Insurance Programme sinceitstarted in 1974;ANDShemust have paidand/orbeen creditedwithatleast: i) 26 contributions inthe40 weeks immediately be foretheweek in which sheeitherstopsworkorhasthebaby;ORii)26contributions in theimmediatepreceding contributionyear. MATERNITYBENEFITISORDINARILY PAIDforupto13 weeks, however, whereanillness arisesoutoftheconfinementthatresult infurtherincapacity,theMaternityBenefit period may be extended uptosix weeks. Addition ally, where awomanstopsworksixweekspriortoherex pected dateofconfinementbuther actual dateofconfinementisdelayed,thepayment period may be extended by one weekforeach weekthatconfinementisdelayed. AwomanhastwooptionsforclaimingMaternityBenefit. The firstistostopworkin advanceofher expected dateofconfinement.National Insurancewillpay her uptosix weeks before her weekofconfinement, thenfortheweekofconfinement, andforthesix weeksimmediatelyfollowing her confinement. Awomandoes not, though, havetostopworksixweeks in advance.Shemay,forexample, wishtostopthreeweeks in advance,inwhich case,theconditions are the same: Paymentsfortheweeksofpre-confinement,theweekofconfinement, andtheweeks following,foratotalof13 weeks. The secondoptionavailabletoa pregnant insured woman,istoworkright uptoher dateofconfinement; in whichcaseshe would be paidtheBenefit, beginningwiththeweekofconfinement,foratotalof13 weeks.Itmust be notedthattheNational Insurance Boardwillonly paytheBenefitforthose weeksthatthewomanre mainsathome during hermaternityperiod.BROKENMATERNITYPERIODALLOWED: Ordinarily, once awomanreturnstowork, her payments will stop, andwillnotresume, evenifshe only returnedtoworkforoneday.The exceptionisinthecaseofwomenwhose children are bornwithmedical problems which necessitatethemre maininginhospitalaftertheirmothershave been dis charged. Wherethehospital stayisforanextended pe riod, some mothers may choosetoreturntoworksoastokeep portionsoftheirMaternityLeavetocareforand bondwiththebaby when eventually discharged. Such awomanmay applyforthe(broken) paymentofbenefit, wherethebalanceofthebenefitpayments are paidwhenshe re sumesherleavetotake careofthechild, providedthatitiswithin26weeksoftheactual dateofconfinement.Ifawomandies during herMaternityBenefit payment pe riod,theunpaidportionofherentitlementwouldbe paidina single sumtotheguardianofthenewbornchild.TOCLAIM MATERNITYBENEFITawomanmustsubmitaMaternityBenefit claimform-Form Med.2.Claim forms mustbecertified by theattendingphysician,whomust statetheexpected dateofconfinement. Claims by employed personsforMaternityBenefitmustbeaccompanied by aMed4-theEmployers Certificationform on whichtheemployer confirmsanemployee'stimeofffromwork. The claim willnotbe processedwithoutit.IFATTHEENDOFTHEMATERNITYBENEFITPAYMENTPERIOD,awomanistooilltoreturntowork,otherthanforillness arisingoutofherconfinement, she should submita medical certificateofincapacity, thus enabling hertobe consideredfortheawardofSickness Benefit.NO CONTRIBUTIONSAREREQUIREDforthose weeksthatawomanreceivesMaternityBenefit.Ifcontributions are paid in error, boththewoman and her employer may apply,inwriting,fora refund.

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Maternity GrantMaternityGrantisaone-timepaymentof$430(asofJuly, 2010) madetoa woman whose pregnancy results inthebirthofaliveinfant.Itispaid in re spectofeach liveinfant.Toqualify she must have paidatleast 50 contributions intotheNational Insurance Programme sinceitbegan in 1974.Ifshehasnotpaidtherequirednumberofcontributionsitcan still be paidifher husband meets oneofthecontributionconditionfortheawardoftheBenefit.TO CLAIMTHEGRANT,awomanmustsubmit a Form Med.2,duly certified by her doctor, statingthatshehasbeen deliveredofa live infant.CLAIMSFORMATERNITY BENEFIT AND GRANT,mustbe madewithinsix (6)monthsoftheconfinement. The Benefitmay be lostiftheclaimismadeafterthis date.CLAIMANTS MAY APPEALany decision made ontheirclaims.Suchappeals must besubmittedinwritingtotheLocal Officewithin 21 daysofthedate the claimant was notifiedofthedecision.FURTHER INFORMATION:THENATIONAL INSURANCEACTThis leaflet gives basicinformationonMaternity Benefit&Grant;forfurtherdetails on theseoranyotherprovi sionsofourSocial Security Programme, please refertotheNationalInsuranceAct(Chapter 350) Statute LawsofTheBahamas.PENALTIES:Any personwho,forthepurposeofobtaining abenefitunder the National Insurance Act,eitherforhimselforsomeotherperson, makes any falsestatementorfalse repre sentation,orproduces any false documents, etc, shall be liabletoa finenotexceeding $2,500,ortoimprisonmentforuptotwelvemonths,orboth.Ifyou have questions concerningMaternityBenefitoranyNationalInsurance relatedmatter,please callorvisit your nearest NIBLocalOffice, or calltheConsumer Hotlines ...Hotline Numbers:325-4655/325-4656Toll-free fromtheFamily Islands:1-242-300-1394Website:www.nib-bahamas.comE-mail:info@nib-bahamas.comRevised3/11