If you have a child, you have the right to stay at home with the child for 52 weeks. The Maternity office only pays maternity benefit for 46 weeks after the birth of the child. The mother has a right to maternity benefit for the first 14 weeks after the birth of the child while the father has a right to 4 weeks after the birth of the child. In addition to that, the parents have a right to maternity benefit for 26 weeks that they can divide between themselves. Before the child is born, the mother has a right to benefit, when the assessment is that there are 4 weeks until the birth of the child.
If you are a single parent, then you have the right to all the weeks. Parents who get twins or more children from the same pregnancy receive four additional weeks that the parents can divide among themselves. Total leave is then 50 weeks.
If the child is born before the 32nd week of the pregnancy then the total length of the leave benefit will be 52 weeks, which is an increase of eight weeks that the parents can divide among themselves.
Parents who are wage earners and who adopt a child have a right to leave for 56 weeks after the arrival of the child, however, benefit is only paid for a total of 48 weeks after the arrival of the child and 4 weeks each before the arrival of the child.
The benefit that you receive from the Maternity office is 100% of your income, however no more than DKK 25,000 a month. You can get more information about this if you contact the Maternity office, see also www.barsil.fo