Although we are on the way to equal rights between genders and have made much progress in the workplace in recent years, recent surveys and studies suggest that mothers are the ones who are most involved in caring for children after birth, calling for a reduction in working hours, also work leave and, even, abandoning his professional career to dedicate himself exclusively to the family.
A new step to reduce the gender gap came on Tuesday, February 2, after the approval by the Government of a Royal Decree-Law with new economic and social measures, which includes a new maternity supplement. This is an annual pension bonus of 378 euros for each child and that, in some specific cases, the parents may also receive.
The objective is to compensate for the losses in contributions suffered especially by women after becoming mothers and which has repercussions on inequality in pensions. Find out if you are entitled to this add-on.
What is this plugin?
On January 1, 2016, the recognition of a maternity supplement for new pensioners entered into force. Its objective: to compensate for the lack of contributions that many women suffer after the birth of their children in pensions. Still, to this day, according to the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá, it is around 30%.
This regulation, in force until today, recognized aid only to women who had had or adopted two or more children. Its amount was calculated based on the number of children: 5% in the case of two children, 10% for three children and 15% from four.
Now, with the reform of this point of pensions, mothers will have the right to receive an annual bonus of 378 euros per year for each child, from the first to a maximum of four. If it is divided into 14 monthly payments, it amounts to about 27 euros per month per child.
Who can benefit from this pension bonus?
All women who have one or more children and who collect a retirement pension, permanent disability and widowhood are recognized.
In addition, the amount of this supplement will be updated according to the revaluation of the pensions , without counting for the purposes of the minimum complement or as a ceiling of the maximum pension (in 2020 it is 2,683.34 euros per month).
Another novelty of this complement is that it recognizes the right of parents to request it. Article 60.1 of the General Law of Social Security stated that this supplement would only be granted to women “for their demographic contribution to Social Security” . The current 2016 supplement was only for mothers, a measure ruled discriminatory by the Court of Justice of the European Union in 2019.
With the modification, the door is opened for men to also receive the maternity supplement, but in their case the recognition will not be automatic. That is, the father will have to prove a loss in his career after the birth, if not by default the mother will be recognized. According to the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations:
“The new supplement will be granted to the parent who proves a loss in their professional career after the birth of the son or daughter. But if both parents prove the damage or if neither of them does, the right will be recognized to the mother, thus contributing to the reduction of the gender gap.
According to his calculations, 98% of the beneficiaries will be women, some 30,000 more than until now, as they have the right to the supplement with only one child. He estimates that the modification will increase the average pension by 6% and the minimum by 8% in the case of two children.
The minister recalled in his speech after the Council of Ministers yesterday that the average monthly pension for men in 2020 was 1,248.99 euros, while for women it was 824.65 euros, a difference of 30 %. So he adds that the measure will be in force as long as the gender gap in pensions is greater than 5%.
Via | Government of Spain
Photos | iStock
In Babies and More | Gender differences begin as early as childhood: boys receive more pay than girls, working mothers at ERTE lose deductions for maternity and childcare assistance
