There is a legal obligation to take a break from doctoral studies during maternity leave.

The compulsory leave lasts five months and can be taken from two months before the expected date of delivery until the end of the third month after the birth, or from one month before the birth (flexibility) and during the four months following the birth. The flexible compulsory leave may be requested from the seventh month of pregnancy and no later than the end of the pregnancy, provided that the specialist (gynecologist) of the Italian - national health authority or of an institution contracted to the South Tyrol Health Authority and the Company doctor confirm that this doesn’t harm the health of the mother and child. The leave may also be taken exclusively after childbirth if the specialist (gynecologist) of the Italian – national health service or a doctor contracted to the South Tyrol Health Service and the Company doctor confirm that this doesn’t harm the health of the mother and child. An application to take the leave exclusively after childbirth may be submitted in the seventh month of pregnancy and no later than the end of the pregnancy, or – in the case of exercising the flexibility option – in the eighth month of pregnancy and no later than the end of the pregnancy. Further information can be found on the website of the National Social Security Institute  (INPS).

The PhD student must make an appointment with the Company doctor if she wishes to make use of this flexibility and continue her studies during the eighth month of pregnancy or until the end of her pregnancy. In both cases, an application must be made using the INPS form for compulsory leave.

ATTENTION: Even if you take just one day off sick during the eighth month of pregnancy, the compulsory leave period begins on that day (Article 20 of Legislative Decree 151/2001).

In the seventh month of pregnancy: Please send the completed and countersigned form, together with the medical certificate confirming the pregnancy and stating the expected due date, to the following email address: phdunibz@unibz.it

Scholarship payments are suspended during maternity leave.
Applying for a benefit from the national social security institution ‘INPS’ (registration with the GESTIONE SEPARATA INPS) ‘Link – INPS Administration’

A. Application for a social advice center:

To receive maternity benefits, an application must be submitted to the INPS. We recommend that PhD students submit their application through a so called “Patronato” organization, which can provide assistance with completing the online forms and submitting them electronically.

B.    Online application via INPS:

The INPS application can also be completed online by the PhD student herself by logging in to her personal account on the INPS online services: www.inps.it.

Early maternity leave (more than two months before the birth):

No supporting documents need to be submitted at the time of application for this type of exemption. However, for the application to be approved, the following conditions must be met:

• a certificate of early incapacity for work has been issued by the South Tyrolean Health Authority in the case of high-risk pregnancies, or by the Company doctor in the case of work incompatible with pregnancy;
• the application must be submitted before the start of the compulsory leave (i.e. before the start of the eighth month): The start of the leave is the first day of the work interruption, as specified in the prohibition order. It is not necessary to submit the application immediately, as the applicant may already stay away from work from the moment the prohibition order is received (the prohibition order must be communicated to the University);
• Ask your doctor to send the pregnancy certificate electronically to the INPS (for the leave, your doctor’s medical certificate stating any problems during the pregnancy is not sufficient. A specific order from the South Tyrolean Health Authority or the Company doctor is required, certifying the need for early sick leave and the first day of sick leave). It is important that you ensure you are in possession of the certificate of incapacity for work and not just the doctor’s note.

Parental leave (voluntary maternity leave) for PhD students registered with the Gestione Separata INPS (Special Fund of the Italian National Social Security Institute) is three months for the mother and three months for the father. If you wish to take advantage of this option, please send the completed and countersigned form, together with the birth certificate stating the date of birth, to the following email address: phdunibz@unibz.it.