N$20k maternity cap leaves high earners short

While the SSC's increased N$20 000 maternity benefit will be enough for the vast majority of working women, a minority of higher earners could still face a major income drop on leave unless employers top up the difference, labour expert Herbert Jauch warns.Jauch said the new ceiling should be enough for women earning N$20 000 or less a month. But those earning N$40 000, N$50 000 or above could see a large share of their usual pay disappear while on maternity leave."For the vast majority of Namibian women, N$20 000 will be sufficient to make up for the loss," he said. "For the middle and higher income categories, it is not enough to catch the backlog. But for the vast majority of working women, it is."Whether higher earners are protected from that gap often depends on their employer.Some companies already top up social security payments so workers keep their full salaries during maternity or extended sick leave, but Jauch said this is more common at larger companies and workplaces with strong unions.“At many smaller companies without strong trade unions, this is not the case, and it is left to employers to say, we will top up or not,” he said.Jauch said this exposes a weakness in the current system, as workers’ income protection could depend on their employer’s policies or bargaining power.Sidelined and vulnerableHe also warned that the maternity benefit debate must be viewed against Namibia’s broader low-wage environment.“Much of the increase is merely an adjustment to the increasing cost of living to allow workers to meet basic needs,” he said.Jauch also raised concerns about workers who remain outside effective social protection, particularly those in the informal economy and vulnerable groups such as farm workers, domestic workers and security guards.He called for broader social protection reforms, including a national pension fund, medical benefit fund and unemployment fund.‘Babies don’t get discounts’Social media user Mikey Munika also warned that the N$20 000 ceiling could still leave higher-income parents under financial pressure.Munika pointed to the costs of raising a newborn, including nappies, formula and baby food.“Diapers, formula, baby food and everything a baby needs will not be discounted in any shop,” he said.He also questioned how parents would manage childcare costs once maternity leave ends.“You will need a nanny, or enslave a village relative, in order for you to get back to work,” he wrote on Facebook.Munika argued that the financial responsibility of raising a child extends well beyond the maternity-leave period.“Once your baby reaches three months, you are on your own. SSC is a scam,” he argued.

N$20k maternity cap leaves high earners short

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-25

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N$20k maternity cap leaves high earners short

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-25

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