1. MISSOC NETWORK MEETING Bratislava, 10-11 November 2016
Revision of Guidelines for Table IV – Maternity/Paternity benefits and Table IX – Family benefits Terry Ward, MISSOC Secretariat

2. Background 1st Round 2nd Round
At last meeting, discussion of note on review of Guidelines for Table IV – Maternity/Paternity benefits and Table IX – Family benefits
2nd Round
On basis of discussion in Amsterdam and further reflection, proposal for revision of Tables circulated before meeting

3. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IV
Table IV – Maternity/Paternity benefits
Table includes:
maternity/paternity leave arrangements associated with birth of a child
benefits in kind related to medical care just before, during and immediately after childbirth (e.g. medical checks during pregnancy or spells in hospital during confinement, free prescriptions, dental care)
Suggestion: to move information on medical benefits in-kind to Table II
EUSurvey result: 58% (14 of 24 replies) in favour of keeping it in Table IV

4. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IV
Basic Principles (IV-02)
Question added on unpaid leave:
Mention if it exists
Specify if taking unpaid leave has implications for receipt of benefits (e.g. if periods of unpaid leave are treated as contributory)
Field of application (IV-03/04)
Question added on ‘non-traditional’ families to cover situation of same-sex couples, registered and non-registered partnerships and step-parents?
EUSurvey results 76% (19 of 25 replies) in favour of using term ‘non-traditional families’
Additional suggestion: to include Maternity allowances, i.e. benefits paid to mothers not eligible for maternity benefits, in Table IV rather than Table IX
FL: The issue on Maternity allowance was raised for example in the PL Tables where Matenrity allowance is inlucded in Table IX, beacuse the legislation includes it in Family benefit. The correspondent raised the question whether the criterium to classify it is based on the nature/purpose of the benefit or on the legsilation.
The criterium should be based on the first point (i.e. nature/purpose of the benefit) in order to ensure comparability across Tables.

5. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IV
Maternity/Paternity leave
Questions added on:
Duration of leave
In cases where maternity+ paternity leave part of single parental leave scheme, on whether there are periods specifically reserved for mothers and fathers equivalent to maternity and paternity leave
Flexibility
Whether mothers have flexibility over duration of pre- and post-natal leave
Whether leave can be taken on part-time or intermittent basis over a period
Transferability
Whether periods of leave can be shared or transferred between parents
Whether there are periods reserved for use by one or other of parents
Whether there are incentives to encourage both parents to take up leave entitlement

6. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IV
Maternity/Paternity leave
Continued payment by employer
Clarification of whether payment is made:
in addition to social security benefits (as in France+Germany) or in place of social security benefit (as for paternity leave in Belgium)
by employer on behalf of social security administration (as in Italy)
Payment under collective agreements
Question of whether important to keep reference to such payments (at present only 4 countries (DK, FI, ES, CH) provide information on this
EUSurvey result: 55% (12 of 22 replies) in favour of keeping it in Table IV

7. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IX
Table IX - Family benefits
Clear distinction made between 4 categories of family benefit:
Child benefits
Paid parental leave and benefits
Childcare allowances
Other benefits
These considered in turn in Table IX

8. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IX
Child benefits
Main changes proposed:
Field of application (IX-03)
Include information on ‘non-traditional’ families as in Table IV
Benefits – Amounts (IX-07)
Added questions on:
Frequency of payments
Whom benefit is paid to (mother, father, main carer, etc.)
Variation with income (IX-08) and age (IX-09)
Suggested deletion as duplicate information already given
New category added on means-testing
Cases where benefits can be combined with other benefits (IX-10)
Suggested deletion as agreed in Amsterdam

9. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IX
Parental leave and benefits
Suggest to keep this category in Table IX instead of moving to Table IV – in line with underlying philosophy of MISSOC tables (divided according to types of risk)
For countries with single parental leave scheme, correspondents can report information in Table IV so long as clear cross-reference given in Table IX
EUSurvey result: 65% (17 of 26 replies) in favour of keeping it in Table IX
Suggest to create clearly separated category for Parental leave and benefit
EUSurvey result: 85% (22 of 26 replies) in favour of creating a separate category
Suggest to add questions (as in Table IV) on:
Unpaid leave
Duration, flexibility and transferability of leave

10. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IX
Childcare allowances
Suggest to report both Childcare allowances and Child-raising allowances under same category to include:
Benefits paid to parents whose children are cared for while they work
Benefits that allow one parent to remain at home to care for children
Rationale for this:
To avoid confusion in terminology – in some countries ‘Child-raising allowances’ include benefits called ‘Childcare allowances’
Because distinction between two not always clear-cut (in some countries, cash-for-care schemes cover both)
EUSurvey result: 92% (23 of 25 replies) in favour of including them under same category
New categories added on:
Means-testing
Free or subsidised childcare facilities (as agreed in Amsterdam)

11. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IX
Other benefits
Birth and adoption grant (IX-19)
In most countries, includes lump-sum allowance to help towards costs of having a child
In some countries, includes benefits paid regularly over a period or benefits paid to mothers not eligible for maternity benefits
Suggested revision:
Only include 1) under IX-19 and include 2) under either Child benefits (i.e. in Table IX) or Maternity benefits (i.e. in Table IV) as appropriate
EUSurvey result: 88% (22 of 25 replies) in favour of only including 1) in IX-19

12. Main changes and principles for discussion – Table IX
Specific benefit to families with 3+ children
Additional suggestion: to include under Child benefit or Other allowances
Advances on maintenance payments (IX-22)
Suggest to delete second question in this category (‘Are there any mechanisms in your country to guarantee this periodic payment to the parent who cares for the child?’), as complex and no country gives information on it
EUSurvey result: 83% (20 of 24 replies) in favour of deleting it
Other allowances (IX-23)
Suggest to give explicit reference to education or back-to-school allowances where exist
New categories to be included (as agreed in Amsterdam):
In work benefits (or tax credits)
Tax concessions (or deductions from tax payable)
In both cases, need only to indicate whether these exist or not

13. Thank you for your attention