Barbados maternity benefit calculator 2026
An insured mother in Barbados who qualifies for NIS maternity benefit receives 100% of her average insurable weekly earnings while she is on leave. A separate child grant of Bds$1,280 is paid with the claim.
The Employment of Women (Maternity Leave) Act, Cap. 345A gives at least 12 weeks weeks of maternity leave. Enter your average insurable weekly earnings and the weeks you expect to be paid to see the benefit.
How it's calculated
- Insurable earnings: your average weekly earnings, limited to the NIS weekly ceiling of Bds$1,238.
- Weekly benefit: 100% of those earnings, according to the NISSS maternity benefit page.
- Total: the weekly benefit multiplied by the number of weeks you enter. NISSS decides the number of paid weeks when it assesses the claim.
- Child grant: a payment of Bds$1,280 that is shown on its own and added in the last line.
An example
A teacher with average insurable earnings of Bds$800 a week expects 12 weeks of benefit. The weekly benefit is Bds$800.00, which makes Bds$9,600.00 over 12 weeks. With the Bds$1,280.00 child grant the claim comes to Bds$10,880.00. If she earned Bds$1,500 a week, the ceiling would limit the benefit to Bds$1,238.00 a week.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the NIS maternity benefit?
NISSS pays 100% of the insured person's average insurable weekly earnings, as set out on its Maternity Benefit and Child Grant page.
How much is the child grant?
The NISSS page gives the child grant as Bds$1,280.
How long is maternity leave in Barbados?
Section 3 of the Employment of Women (Maternity Leave) Act, Cap. 345A gives 12 weeks weeks.
Does my employer also pay me during leave?
That depends on your contract and on the Act's conditions. This calculator shows only the NIS benefit, so ask your employer what, if anything, is paid on top.
Key terms
- Maternity benefit
- A weekly NIS payment to an insured mother who stops work to have a child.
- Insurable earnings
- Pay up to the NIS ceiling, on which contributions and benefits are based.
- Child grant
- A one-off NIS payment linked to the birth of a child.
- NISSS
- The National Insurance and Social Security Service.
Up-to-date official data
Data checked against the official source on .
We check the official sources automatically, every day.
- National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS)Maternity Benefit and Child Grant
- Barbados Law Courts (Laws of Barbados)Employment of Women (Maternity Leave) Act, Cap. 345A, section 3
- National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS)Notice: Increase in Insurable Earnings Ceiling, effective January 1, 2026