Brazil Enacts Law Extending Maternity Leave After Hospital Stays Beyond Two Weeks

Overview

• Published in the Diário Oficial as Law No. 15.222/2025 on September 30, the measure is now in force nationwide.
• The extension applies when the mother or newborn is hospitalized for more than 14 days due to childbirth-related complications, with the medical team certifying the link to the birth.
• Salary-maternity is payable during the entire hospitalization and for up to 120 days after discharge, with any pre-birth benefit period deducted.
• The rule covers CLT workers and INSS-insured beneficiaries, consolidating an STF understanding and aligning with federal civil-service practice adopted in mid-2025.
• The sanction also created a National Week of Awareness on care for pregnant women and mothers, while INSS and employers will need to adjust documentation and payroll procedures.