Prague - Czech mothers that will give birth in 2009 will see a higher maternity leave allowance. Mothers with above-average salaries will receive almost a double of the state contribution.

The allowance has increased from CZK 14,370 up to CZK 28,890. Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Petr Nečas said that the salary basis from which the amount of the monthly allowance is counted has increased from CZK 24,000 up to 71,000.

Thus mothers who have mothly salaries around 40,000 will receive now a maternity pay worth CZK 22,350 instead of CZK 14,370.

"The change in the child care reform also concerns fathers who want to stay home with their kids instead of mothers," added Minister Nečas. Fathers can apply for parental leave the 7th week after the birth. Shared parental leave was introduced by the government to boost the role of Czech fathers in order to help increase the country's birth rate.

The financial support is traditionally being paid from sickness payment. If mothers fail to pay monthly fees, they are not entitled to claim the maternity leave allowance. This is often omitted by businesswomen since paying for sickness insurance is voluntary.

"Mothers are often not aware that the maternity leave allowance is paid from this sickness payment," consultant Jaroslav Novotný said for Aktuálně.cz.

But mothers that do not pay for their sickness insurance will receive the maternity pay too. They will get CZK 7,600, which is the minimal parental allowance that any mother gets after she finishes her maternity leave and decides to stay home.

In addition, the social reform package that has come into effect in January 2009 introduces shared care of a sick child. Fathers can stay home with an ill child in case mothers need to return to work or become ill. According to this package fathers can also take a week-long leave to care for a fresh-born child.