Additional birth leave and paid parental leave for DGAs: how exactly does it work?
When you become a director-major shareholder (DGA), you naturally want to take time out for your family. But what about additional birth leave, paid parental leave and customary pay? And what applies to female DGAs who give birth themselves? In this article, we list everything clearly.
Additional birth leave for DMSs
As the partner of the person who gave birth, you are entitled to up to 5 weeks of paid additional birth leave:
- the leave must be taken within 6 months of birth;
- As a DMS, are you not insured for employee insurance? Then you must apply for the benefit yourself via My UWV. Not through the BV, then.
- the benefit is 70% of the (maximum) daily wage. So this can be lower than 70% of your usual wage.
More information and request: (UWV - Supplementary Birth Leave for DGAs and alpha workers)
Paid parental leave
If you want to spend some extra time with your child after the birth leave, you can make use of 9 weeks of paid parental leave.
- Should be included within one year of birth.
- Again, as a DGA, you apply for the benefit yourself through My UWV.
- You will receive 70% of the minimum wage (i.e. no daily wage limitation like birth leave).
More information and request: (UWV - Applying for paid parental leave).
When you, as a DGA, like yourself
If you, as a DGA, are the one giving birth yourself, you cannot use the regular maternity leave for employees. Instead, you can claim the ZEZ benefit (Self-employed and Pregnant) from the UWV.
- The ZEZ benefit provides at least 16 weeks of income insurance.
- The amount depends on your income in the previous year, up to the statutory maximum daily wage.
- Apply directly via My UWV.
More information and application: Self-employed and pregnant (ZEZ benefit) | UWV
Does this affect the customary wage?
Good news: the benefits do not count towards the customary wage.
But: if you work substantially fewer hours in the year due to the leave, then the customary wage may be set temporarily lower. This can provide tax benefits, if properly justified.
In conclusion
For DMSs, leave works slightly differently than for employees. You have to apply for the benefits yourself, not through the BV, and the amount of the benefit may differ from your usual wage. Good to think about this at an early stage when family expansion is on the way.