Special pregnancy allowance and partial special pregnancy allowance

You can get special pregnancy allowance (erityisraskausraha) or partial special pregnancy allowance (osittainen erityisraskausraha) if you have to stop working completely or partially before you go on pregnancy leave because your work involves risks that endanger your pregnancy.

Can I get special pregnancy allowance?

You can get special pregnancy allowance or partial special pregnancy allowance if you meet the following criteria:

• You are pregnant.
• You are employed or self-employed.
• You are fit for work.
• In your work you are exposed to hazards such as chemicals, radiation or infectious diseases and you cannot avoid them.
• Your employer has told you that they cannot give you other work to do.
• You have to stop working completely or partially.

Your occupational health doctor will assess your situation and tell you when you should apply for special pregnancy allowance or partial special pregnancy allowance. If you are self-employed, the assessment will be made by a doctor who knows your working conditions.

You can get partial special pregnancy allowance if you can work for a maximum total of 5 hours per day because of the dangers of your job. This applies to you if

• you are an employee
• you are self-employed
• you have more than one part-time job either as an employee or as a self-employed business owner.

If you are employed, you have to make a part-time employment contract with your employer before you can apply for partial special pregnancy allowance.

If you work for more than 5 hours per day in total, you do not have the right to partial special pregnancy allowance. If you are self-employed, you can get partial special pregnancy allowance only if you earn less income because you work fewer hours. Send information on the loss of income to Kela if Kela asks you for it.

If your working hours have been reduced or cut in some other way, Kela can pay you special pregnancy allowance for days when your employer cannot give you safe work to do. For example, working fewer hours a week counts as reduced or cut working hours.

If your employer pays you a salary during the time you receive special pregnancy allowance, the special pregnancy allowance is paid to your employer. However, you must still submit your application for special pregnancy allowance to Kela.

For what period can I get special pregnancy allowance?

Kela can pay special pregnancy allowance and partial special pregnancy allowance up until your actual pregnancy leave begins. Special pregnancy allowance does not count against the actual pregnancy allowance days to which you may be entitled.

If you get the full special pregnancy allowance, Kela will not pay you the allowance for days when you work for an employer or for your own business if you are self-employed.

Kela will stop paying you special pregnancy allowance if your working conditions can be made safe and you can go back to work as a result. Kela will also stop paying you special pregnancy allowance if your employment relationship ends.

How much is the special pregnancy allowance?

The amount of the special pregnancy allowance is based on your annual income. Annual income includes wage income, income under the Self-Employed Persons' (YEL) and Farmers' (MYEL) Pensions Acts, and certain benefits.

Partial special pregnancy allowance is half (50%) of the full special pregnancy allowance.

Special pregnancy allowance is paid for working days. Working days are Monday to Saturday, with the exception of holidays that fall on a weekday.

You must pay tax on the special pregnancy allowance.

Examples of amounts of special pregnancy allowance

Minimum rate of allowance

If your income does not exceed EUR 13,712 per year, you may receive the minimum rate of allowance.

You can use the calculator to get a more accurate estimate of the amount of special pregnancy allowance on the basis of your annual income.

When is special pregnancy allowance paid out?

Kela pays special pregnancy allowance and partial special pregnancy allowance retroactively every 25 days. You can check the exact payment date in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish) once you have received a decision on special pregnancy allowance.

How to apply for special pregnancy allowance

First go to a maternity and child health clinic (neuvola) and ask for a certificate of pregnancy (raskaustodistus) for special pregnancy allowance.

Then go see your occupational health doctor. Your doctor will assess the risks of your work and issue you a medical statement on your need for special pregnancy allowance or partial special pregnancy allowance (in Finnish) if necessary.

If your employer pays you a salary during your pregnancy leave, you will not receive a decision on your application until your employer has submitted their separate application to Kela.

You can apply for special pregnancy allowance either on a form or in the OmaKela e-service. OmaKela is currently available only in Finnish and Swedish. Kela’s forms are also available in English.

Apply in OmaKela

Once you have the certificate of pregnancy and the medical statement in hand, do as follows:

1. Apply for special pregnancy allowance in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish or Swedish).
2. Take photographs of the supporting documents and send them in OmaKela. Supporting documents you will need to send:

   • Certificate of pregnancy
   • Statement from your occupational health doctor
   • An employer’s notification for special pregnancy allowance (form SV 96e)
   • A copy of the form Special pregnancy allowance for the birthing parent (SV 16e). Fill in sections 4, 5 and 6 of the form.
3. Visit OmaKela to see if your application has been decided, how much you will get and when your benefits will be paid. You can also see reminders to submit any missing documents.

If you cannot file your application in OmaKela, fill in and print out the form Special pregnancy allowance for the birthing parent (SV 16e, PDF). Send the application and any supporting documents by mail. The address is Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.

Apply on a form

Once you have the certificate of pregnancy and the medical statement in hand, do as follows:

1. Fill in and print out the form Special pregnancy allowance for the birthing parent SV 16e (PDF).
2. Enclose additional documents in support of the application as necessary. Supporting documents you will need to send:

   • Certificate of pregnancy
   • Statement from your occupational health doctor
   • An employer’s notification for special pregnancy allowance (form SV 96e)
3. Send the application and any supporting documents by post. The address is Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
4. Visit OmaKela to see if your application has been decided, how much you will get and when your benefit will be paid.

Kela issues decisions in Finnish and Swedish only. If you need help with something, you can call one of our English-language customer service numbers.

Things to remember when you apply for special pregnancy allowance

Report changes that affect your special pregnancy allowance

Remember to tell Kela about changes in your circumstances so that we can pay your special pregnancy allowance or partial special pregnancy allowance correctly.

Tell us, for example, if

• changes are made to your working conditions so that you can go back to work full-time or part-time
• your employer changes
• your employment relationship ends or you shut down your business if you are self-employed
• you miscarry or terminate your pregnancy.

Use OmaKela (available in Finnish and Swedish) to report changes or call our customer service 020 634 2550customer service 020 634 2550.

If you do not report changes, you may be paid benefits you are not entitled to. In that case the benefit will be recovered from you later.

Do not forget to check how any changes in your circumstances will affect other benefits that you receive from Kela.