The amendment of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, which includes the “exceptionally granting insurance capacity 2024-2025” and the maternity allowance.

From the floor of Parliament, the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Domna Michailidou, during her speech, referring to the “exceptional grant of insurance capacity 2024-2025”, said: “We are back to normal. Our economy is recording positive growth rates and the unemployment rate has fallen to a historically low level.”

Mrs. Michailidou clarified that the loss of insurance capacity does not imply the loss of free medical care. “There is no citizen of this country who has an active AMKA and who is deprived of the right to free hospitalization in a public hospital” clarified the Minister of Labor and noted: “This possibility was given in 2014, i.e. 10 years ago, when the government was again SW”. Especially, with regard to children, people with disabilities and the chronically ill, Mrs. Michailidou reminded that they are also covered by private doctors for prescribing medicines, treatments and diagnostic tests, as provided for in a previous decision of 2022.

At the same time, the Minister of Labor and Social Security added the following: “Insurability is attributed to all employees, employed or not, who have paid their insurance contributions or settled their debts and regularly pay the installments provided for by the regulation. This means that, whoever does not owe EFKA, he and his protected family members are covered not only by the public health system, but also have access to private health providers, doctors, diagnostic centers and private clinics.

There are exceptions to this rule, as provided by the amendment, which was tabled in Parliament. The exceptional renewal of the insurance capacity concerns e-EFKA insured persons and their families who are professionally active in areas affected by natural disasters or natural disasters and in areas of Attica affected by the fires of 2018. The exceptions include the unemployed of these areas, as well as the workers at the Skaramanga, Zoni Perama and Elefsina Shipyards”.

In fact, as Mrs. Michailidou pointed out, the service to citizens for the granting of insurance capacity is done without an appointment. “To update their information in the register, citizens will be served by all Local Authorities, regardless of where they belong or whether they have made an appointment,” he explained.

“As a State” – underlined the Minister of Labor – “we must preserve equality and protect those of our fellow citizens who are consistent in their obligations with sacrifices”.

Also, the amendment includes two essential clarifications regarding the special provision of maternity protection and regarding its transfer to the other parent. Based on these changes, the e-EFKA insured mother, self-employed, self-employed or farmer, is entitled to a special maternity protection benefit of nine months, which starts after the payment of the e-EFKA maternity allowance. As Mrs. Michailidou pointed out, DYPA pays the beneficiaries a monthly amount equal to the current minimum wage.

Referring to the mother’s right to transfer the special maternity protection benefit to the father, the Minister of Labor added: “The mother has the right to transfer up to seven months of the special maternity protection benefit to the father. In the event that the father works in a dependent employment relationship, he receives – in addition to the special maternity protection benefit – a proportion of holiday gifts and leave allowance”.