Maternity Benefits for Female Students to Reach 100% of Regional Living Wage
MOSCOW. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill that significantly increases maternity benefits for female students. Beginning September 1st, these payments will be equivalent to 100% of the regional living wage, a notable change that will apply regardless of whether the student is receiving a scholarship.
The new legislation has been officially published on the governmental legal acts portal.
Previously, pregnant students received maternity benefits based on their scholarship amount over a 140-day sick leave period. This typically amounted to a total of 9,333 to 23,333 rubles for the entire maternity and childbirth leave.
Under the provisions of the newly enacted law, the average maternity benefit for students will rise substantially to 90,202 rubles. This enhanced support is designed for full-time students enrolled in various educational institutions, including professional educational organizations, higher education institutions, additional professional education organizations, and scientific institutions.
Furthermore, the Social Fund of Russia is now officially empowered to handle the appointment and disbursement of these benefits. The funding for these payments will be drawn directly from the federal budget.
The law is scheduled to come into effect on September 1st.
