Additional childcare allowance after 24 May 2020

Under current legislation, the additional childcare allowance was to be reduced after 24 May. However, according to the assurances of the government and the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), it will be extended under the existing rules until 14 June 2020.

Pursuant to the amendments to the regulations of the anti-crisis shield, the right to an additional childcare allowance after 24 May would be granted only to persons caring for the disabled:

• parents dismissed from work and officers dismissed from service due to the need to take care of a child with a significant or moderate degree of disability until the age of 18 or a child with a disability certificate or a certificate of need for special education,
• parents who personally care for an adult with disabilities also when the facilities referred to in the provisions are opened during the COVID-19 epidemic,
• farmers who have to take care of a child with a severe or moderate degree of disability until the age of 18 or of a child with a disability certificate or a special education needs certificate.

The amendment to the shield does not include regulations on the right to the additional childcare allowance for parents of children up to the age of 8. This means that parents who have been receiving such a benefit so far would lose their right to it as from 25 May 2020.

Additional childcare allowance also for parents of children under 8 years of age

According to the announcements of the government, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), the possibility of receiving an additional childcare allowance under the current rules, so also for parents of children under 8 years of age, will however be extended until 14 June 2020. The relevant provision is to be included in the latest version of the anti-crisis shield. Until the new regulations come into force, ZUS will continue to pay out the benefit.

Childcare allowance and the opening of nurseries and kindergartens

According to the position of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy and the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), additional childcare allowance is also granted to parents who, despite opening some nurseries and kindergartens, decide to personally take care of their children.

See also : Downtime under the Code and economic downtime – implementation