How do I claim my SSS sickness or maternity benefit?
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
Both are cash benefits of the Social Security System under RA 11199 (the Social Security Act of 2018), and both hinge on having enough recent contributions. For the SICKNESS benefit, you generally need at least three monthly contributions within the 12-month period immediately before the semester of your sickness or injury, must be confined (in hospital or at home) for more than three days, and must notify your employer (or, if self-employed/voluntary, the SSS) within the period the rules require; the daily benefit is a percentage of your average daily salary credit for the compensable days, subject to annual limits. For MATERNITY, RA 11210 (the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law) grants 105 days of leave with full pay for a live childbirth (with an option to extend 30 more days without pay, an extra 15 days for a solo parent, and the option to transfer up to 7 days to the child's father or an alternate caregiver); the SSS maternity benefit requires at least three monthly contributions within the 12-month period before the semester of childbirth or miscarriage. Employed members usually claim through their employer, who advances the benefit and is later reimbursed by the SSS; self-employed, voluntary, and OFW members claim directly. File through your My.SSS account or an SSS branch, and confirm the exact contribution counts, rates, and deadlines with the SSS because they are set by the law's implementing rules and change.
Do not rely on a remembered peso amount — the benefit is computed from your average daily/monthly salary credit under the SSS schedule, which is periodically adjusted. Keep proof of your contributions, your medical or maternity documents (medical certificate, or the child's birth/fetal-death certificate), and the dates of notification. For the sickness benefit the notification timing is important: an employed member notifies the employer, who notifies the SSS; a self-employed or voluntary member notifies the SSS directly, within the periods the rules set — late notification can reduce the compensable days. For maternity, the 105-day full-pay entitlement applies to a live birth regardless of the mode of delivery, with shorter durations for miscarriage or emergency termination as the law provides. Because RA 11210's allocation option, the solo-parent add-on, and the contribution/qualifying rules are detailed, verify your specific eligibility with the SSS or your HR before filing.
Primary sources
Frequently asked
How many contributions do I need to qualify?
For both the sickness and maternity benefits under RA 11199, the general rule is at least three monthly contributions within the 12-month period immediately before the semester of the sickness (for sickness) or of the childbirth/miscarriage (for maternity). Confirm your exact posted contributions in My.SSS, since eligibility turns on them.
How long is the maternity leave and is it fully paid?
Under RA 11210, the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law, a qualified female worker gets 105 days of leave with full pay for a live childbirth, with an option to extend 30 more days without pay and an additional 15 days for a solo parent; up to 7 days may be transferred to the child's father or an alternate caregiver. Shorter durations apply to miscarriage or emergency termination as the law provides.
How do I actually file?
Employed members usually file through their employer, who advances the benefit and is reimbursed by the SSS; self-employed, voluntary, and OFW members file directly with the SSS. Use your My.SSS account or an SSS branch, and keep your medical/maternity documents and proof of notification. Confirm the current forms, deadlines, and computation with the SSS.
Take action
Got a similar problem?
File a complaint and we'll pre-fill BSP, SEC, DTI, and small-claims letters for you.
Your rights as a policyholder or HMO member — what to do when an insurance claim is denied or delayed, how long an insurer has to pay a valid claim and the interest it owes for unreasonable delay (RA 10607, the Amended Insurance Code), the 2-year incontestability clause on life policies, HMO coverage and pre-existing-condition denials (now regulated by the Insurance Commission under EO 192 s.2015), what CTPL motor insurance covers and the no-fault indemnity, premium grace periods and lapsed policies, cash surrender value when you cancel, and how to file a complaint with the Insurance Commission.