General requirements
As the role of the parents is particularly important in the first years of the child’s life, states are encouraged to create a social support system which allows at least one of the parents to stay at home for a certain period of time and look after the children. Appropriate benefits, allowances or compensation should be available for the parent taking care of the child.
Moldovan law
According to Moldovan law, several benefits and allowances are made available for the parent taking care of the child:
The conditions and requirements for receiving these benefits are stipulated in the Law on the public pension system, Law on the public system of social insurances, Law on state social benefits for children, Law on temporary work incapacity and other social insurance benefits and Government Decision on allowances for families with children. You can learn more about parental leave and benefits available to parents in the webpage of the National Social Insurance House.
Shortly after the child is born, parents are entitled to receive a child birth allowance, a one-time social benefit. This benefit is paid for each child born.
According to the Labour Code, parents in Moldova are entitled to parental leave. This leave can be taken by the parents up to the day the child reaches the age of three years. It may be used by both parents alternatively, in fractions, on the conditions that they do not overlap.
There are also several social benefits available to parents in Moldova. During the period of parental leave, the parent taking care of the child can receive:
- Childcare benefit – a fixed monthly allowance afforded to the person taking care of a child that has not reached the age of two years. This benefit ensures that families with young children receive a minimum income. It is given to employed and unemployed persons alike.
- Benefit for raising the child of an insured person – a monthly allowance afforded to employed persons until the child reaches the age of 3 years. The amount of this benefit depends on the amount of the parent’s previous salary before the parental leave, the length of the leave and payment option (chosen from 3 alternatives).
Where a family has twins or more children born out by the same pregnancy, the family may receive a monthly allowance of support, calculated per child, for the purpose of raising them of up to 3 years old.
Parents taking care of the child are entitled to receive a maternity or paternity allowance. The amount of this benefit depends on the previous income of the beneficiary (the mother or the father).