Mothers who have raised children deserve higher pensions. According to Minister of Labor Erik Tomáš, pension amounts could be recalculated retroactively, fully recognizing maternity and parental leave as equivalent to 100 percent work performance.
Currently, years spent on maternity leave result in significantly lower pensions compared to those who do not have children. Although the period of childcare is counted toward pension eligibility, the state only pays pension insurance contributions for parents on leave based on 60 percent of the average salary. For 2023, this amounts to €782.40, meaning pension contributions are calculated from this reduced figure.
“As a result, mothers who spend, for example, five years on maternity leave may lose tens or even hundreds of euros in pension payments,” explains tax and pension expert Jozef Mihál.
The Ministry of Labor is preparing changes to address this issue, aiming to increase pensions for all who took maternity or parental leave. “We will count those years spent raising a child as if they were regular employment years. Pensions will be recalculated retroactively and raised accordingly, with contributions no longer limited to 60 percent of the average wage,” says Minister Tomáš.
The minister also confirmed that the draft law has coalition support and will not abolish the parental pension, although he acknowledged that the current system disadvantages seniors without children.
Michal Kotian, Chairman of the Union of Pensioners in Slovakia, expressed support for the changes, stating, “I fully welcome this increase for mothers. The previous parental pension system was unfair to some people. Retroactive adjustments are essential—these mothers truly deserve it.”
Implementing these changes will cost the state millions of euros, and it’s unclear how many parents will benefit. In Slovakia, over a million seniors receive pensions, with as many as 500,000 mothers potentially eligible for these increases.
Source: STVR
