Husband on compulsory social insurance eligible for maternity benefits when wife gives birth, with payment calculated by days off

Not everyone understands this information. This is important for families with a newborn. When it comes to maternity benefits, many people think mainly of women’s rights. However, under current regulations, men who participate in compulsory social insurance when their wife gives birth are allowed to take leave to receive maternity benefits and receive the corresponding allowance for the valid number of leave days. In reality, this is a practical right but not every family fully understands it. Many people only know that a husband can take leave to care for his wife during childbirth, while the portion 0f erstanding how much money is paid0 is easily overlooked or not understood correctly. According to the 2024 Social Insurance Law and information from BHXH Vietnam, male workers who are covered by compulsory BHXH when their wife gives birth are entitled to maternity leave and receive the corresponding benefits according to specific cases. Specifically, if the wife gives birth to a single child, the husband is entitled to 5 working days of leave. If the wife requires surgery or the baby is born under 32 weeks, the leave is 7 working days. In the case of twins, the husband can take 10 working days; from the third child onward, an additional 3 working days are granted for each child starting from the third. If the wife gives birth to twins with surgery, the husband is entitled to 14 working days; from triplets onward with surgery, the same rule applies with an additional 3 days per child from the third onward. It is important to note that the start day must fall within 60 days from the birth date. If leaves are taken multiple times, the final leave must also start within this 60-day window and the total leave time must not exceed the legal limit. The key point to understand is that the money is tied to the period the husband takes off to receive the maternity benefits. In other words, not every birth automatically yields an additional BHXH payment for the husband. To receive the benefit calculated by 5, 7, 10, or 14 days, the husband must be eligible for leave under the regulations. Calculation of the maternity benefit: The average monthly wage used for BHXH contributions over the last 6 months is divided by 24. Regarding the amount, Article 59 of the 2024 Social Insurance Law provides that maternity benefits equal one month of the average wage used to calculate compulsory BHXH contributions for the 6 months prior to taking leave. For male workers, the daily allowance is calculated as the monthly maternity benefit divided by 24 days. This is the method used by BHXH Vietnam. Simply put, the formula can be written as: daily allowance = average wage for BHXH contributions over the last 6 months before leave divided by 24; then multiply by the number of leave days. This allows workers to estimate their benefits quickly. For example, if the average wage for BHXH contributions over the last 6 months is 6 million dong per month, the daily allowance would be about 250,000 dong. Then, taking 5 days yields about 1.25 million dong; 7 days about 1.75 million; 10 days about 2.5 million; 14 days about 3.5 million. These figures illustrate the law’s calculation to help workers understand their rights. However, distinctions exist with the one-time childbirth allowance. Under BHXH Vietnam’s new guidance, the one-time allowance is not universal. It is typically available when the mother does not meet the required duration of BHXH contributions; in such cases, the husband, if he has contributed to BHXH for at least 6 months in the 12 months before birth, may qualify for the one-time allowance. Therefore, for most male workers, the common benefit remains the maternity benefit calculated by the number of days off to care for the wife. To claim the money, workers must file on time. According to the process, workers must submit the documents to the employer no later than 45 days from the end date of the maternity leave. After receiving all the documents, the employer has 7 working days to prepare the list and submit it to BHXH. BHXH then processes within up to 7 working days from the receipt of valid documents. The documents for male workers when the wife gives birth are generally not complicated. The basic components are copies of the birth certificate, a birth extract, or the baby’s birth certificate. If the birth certificate does not indicate a cesarean section or birth before 32 weeks, the worker should provide additional hospital documents to prove this information. According to BHXH Vietnam, this is a key basis for determining the correct number of leave days and the benefit level. In the context of rising childbirth costs, understanding BHXH rights not only helps families manage finances but also helps workers avoid missing out on fully legitimate benefits. For fathers-to-be, remember that it is not only about how many days you can take off, but also about how to file, how to submit, and how to calculate the money so as not to lose benefits. By Thu Phuong Keywords: care for wife during delivery; BHXH Vietnam; maternity benefits