Government approves proposal to increase parental allowance

Peter Pellegrini's (Smer-SD) Cabinet has approved a proposal to increase the parental allowance starting next year, as proposed by MPs from the senior governing Smer-SD party, with the amendment to the act currently in its second reading in Parliament, it was reported on Wednesday. Parents who worked before the birth of their child should be entitled to a higher benefit. For them, the parental allowance should rise to €370, while other parents, who worked only briefly or temporarily and did not take the maternity allowance, should enjoy a rise to €270. The increase should be €150 for a working parent and €50 for a non-working parent. Labour Minister Ján Richter (Smer-SD) stated in May this year that the increase in the parental allowance should affect approximately 140,000 people in Slovakia and the measure should cost approximately €145 million. The increase is part of the coalition's social package.