Right to part-time work for the care of children with developmental disabilities

This right can be exercised by one of the employed or self-employed parents, and the amount of compensation is calculated depending on whether the parent is employed or self-employed

Time support

One of the employed or self-employed parents, after the expiry of the right to maternity leave either in the course of use or after the expiry of the right to parental leave, shall, on the basis of the findings and opinions of the competent body of expertise in accordance with the regulations on compulsory health insurance, have the right to work part-time, as well as continue to use it even after the age of 8, as long as that need lasts, and on the basis of the findings and opinions of the Institute of expertise, professional rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities, provided that both parents are employed or self-employed, both before the start of use and during the full exercise of the right.

Cash support

An employed parent of a child with severe developmental disabilities who uses the right to work part-time, is entitled to a financial compensation calculated in the amount of paid salary minus calculated and suspended contributions to pension insurance, an advance of income tax in accordance with special regulations, which he obtained by working that month in the middle of full-time, all according to the employer's certified statement on paid salary.
A self-employed parent of a child with severe developmental disabilities who exercises the right to part-time work shall be entitled to a financial allowance calculated at 50% of the contribution base for compulsory health insurance valid for the basis on which the parent is registered for compulsory health insurance and for the period to which the allowance relates according to the regulations on contributions for compulsory insurance, or 50% of the selected higher monthly contribution base provided that the start of application of a higher base is at least six months before the start of use of this right, according to the data of the tax Administration.

Specificities and specific conditions

The decision on the recognition of the right in question is based on the expert-medical expert opinion of the Institute for expertise, Professional rehabilitation and Employment of persons with disabilities, based on the request of the attached medical documentation, within which the expert reports on the existence of severe developmental disturbances in the child, and the recognition of the right depending on the said expert report may also be given for a certain period of time (6 months, 12 months, etc.).
 
Also, when starting the use of the right, as well as during the use of the right, the fact of employment or self-employment of both parents is checked. In doing so, the beneficiary of the right to work part-time in order to care for a child with severe developmental disabilities is obliged to report any change affecting the use of the recognised right (loss of the status of insured person in compulsory health insurance, termination of the status of an employed or self-employed parent of the beneficiary of the right or another parent, acquisition of the right to leave of one parent for another child, acquisition of the status of parent of a carer for a child on leave, etc.) within 8 days from the date of the occurrence of that situation, to the CHIF. If he fails to act in the manner described, he is obliged to compensate the state budget for the damages incurred and the undue receipt, with the corresponding interest within 8 days from the date of receipt of the written notification of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund on the determined circumstances.
 
Also, the fulfilment of the conditions for the duration of insurance (described under maternity leave) is checked, and if it is not fulfilled the financial compensation amounts to EUR 551,80, i.e. 125% of the budget base.
The right to part-time work for the care of a child with severe developmental disabilities is exercised by an employed or self-employed parent, provided that he or she is working full-time and that the other parent is not unemployed under the employment rules, i.e. if he or she lives alone with the child in a common household (e.g. single or divorced parent).
 
In doing so, it provides, as an exception, that the right in question may be exercised despite the fact that the other parent is unemployed, provided that the latter is not in a position, owing to his or her psychological condition, to provide the child with the necessary care. This inability of the other parent to provide the necessary care to the child is determined by the Office's medical committee.