SSS Maternity Benefits: Procedure for Claiming

Since we already know howto compute SSS Maternity Benefit, below are the steps on how to avail it. This procedure is applicable for employed member availing the benefit.

Steps:

1.  Notify the HR Department within your 1st trimester that you are pregnant. 

2.  On your 2nd trimester, fill up the SSS Maternity Notification form (SSS MAT-1 form). 

3.  Submit the accomplished hard copy of the form to HR together with Medical Certificate and Latest ultrasound.

4.  Before your 3rd trimester, fill up the SSS Maternity Reimbursement form (SSS MAT-2 form). 

5.  Submit the hard copy form to HR for advance computation together with your maternity leave application. For voluntary member, submit the documents to any SSS branch near you. For OFW, authorization letter is required if applying through a representative. Be sure to file no more than 60 days from the date of conception. But you can still file Maternity Notification even if it’s way over 60 days. For Normal delivery, you’re given 60 days and for Cesarean 78 days of maternity leave. Computation will be based on calendar year which includes Saturday and Sunday. 

6.  The company will prepare the check and pay you in advance in behalf of SSS.

7.  Submit the following requirements to SSS to claim the maternity reimbursement:

a.      SSS digitized ID or two valid government IDs

b.     Duly accomplished SSS MAT 2/Maternity Reimbursement form

c.      MAT 1 form duly stamped by SSS prior to date of childbirth/miscarriage

d.     Certified true copy or original authenticated birth certificate (from NSO) of the child after the delivery

e.      In case of Cesarean delivery, the operating room record or surgical memorandum duly certified by the hospital where the member is confined

f.       In case of Stillbirth, fetal death certificate duly registered with the Local Civil Registrar with a local civil registry number

g.     In case of Miscarriage or Medical Necessary Abortion, pregnancy test before and after miscarriage/ medical necessary abortion, medical certificate/obstetrical history form indicating the number of miscarriages duly certified by the attending physician with his/her license number, printed name and signature, D & C Report for incomplete abortion duly certified by the authorized hospital representative where the member was confined, hystopath report for complete abortion

h.     In case of Separation from Employment prior to release of Maternity Benefits, Certification from the last employer with the effective date of separation 

i.       A copy of approved SSS Form E-5 (for Voluntary Member only)

j.       A copy of approved SSS Form RS-1 (for Self-employed Member only)

8.   For employed member, your maternity benefit will be advanced to you in cash, check or payroll account deposit by your employer, either in full, or in partial amounts before and after your delivery. For voluntary, OFW or self-employed member, your maternity benefit check will be delivered to you in the form of a check via a registered mail, delivered by your postman to the address you wrote in your maternity claim.

9.   Failure to comply with the steps provided means that you will not receive any benefit from SSS and at the same time, no salary will be given to you by the company. 

To know more on how to apply, click here.

IMPORTANT!

• The maternity benefit shall be paid only for the first four (4) deliveries or miscarriages starting May 24, 1997 when the Social Security Act of 1997 (RA8282) took effect.
• For employed members, the benefit is advanced by the employer to the qualified employee, in full, within 30 days from the date of filing of the maternity leave application. The SSS, in turn, shall immediately reimburse the employer 100 percent of the amount of maternity benefit advanced to the female employee upon receipt of satisfactory proof of such payment and legality thereof. If the employee member gives birth or suffers miscarriage without the required contributions having been remitted by the employer, or the employer fails to notify the SSS, the employer will be required to pay to the SSS damages equivalent to the benefits the employee would otherwise have been entitled to.

• For separated/voluntary/self-employed members, the amount of benefit is paid directly to them by the SSS.
• A female member cannot claim for sickness benefit for a period of 60 days for normal delivery or miscarriage or 78 days for caesarean delivery within which she has been paid the maternity benefit. As a rule, no member can be entitled to two benefits for the same period.

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