SSS Maternity and Sickness Benefits Guidelines

SSS Maternity and Sickness Benefits Guidelines

These guidelines are based on the Social Security Act of 2018 (RA 11199), the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law (RA 11210), and their respective Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) as mandated by the Social Security System (SSS).

Maternity and Sickness Benefits Policy

  1. Objective

To establish a clear, compliant, and efficient process for the administration of SSS Maternity and Sickness Benefits, ensuring that all qualified employees receive their rightful benefits promptly, as mandated by Philippine law, and that the company is properly reimbursed by the SSS.

  1. Scope

This policy covers all currently employed, SSS-covered employees of the company who meet the qualifying conditions for Sickness Benefit and Maternity Benefit as prescribed by the SSS.

  1. Policy Statement

Infinit-O is legally obligated to advance the full SSS Maternity or Sickness Benefit to qualified employees after the SSS Notification/Application has been approved.

The company is entitled to reimbursement from SSS and shall not use pending or non-reimbursement as a reason to withhold the advance benefit.

  1. Responsibility

ROLE

RESPONSIBILITY

Employee

  • Submits the required SSS Notification Form and all supporting documents to HR in a timely manner.

  • Ensures that SSS contributions are updated.

  • Coordinates with HR for claim status and additional requirements.

HR Department

  • Maintains and verifies employee SSS contribution records.

  • Receives, reviews, and submits the employee’s notification/application and supporting documents to SSS via the My.SSS Employer Portal.

  • Monitors the status of claims and informs employees accordingly.

  • Files the SSS Benefit Reimbursement Application (SBRA/MBRA) online and tracks reimbursement from SSS.

Finance/Payroll Department

  • Advances the full SSS maternity benefit to the employee within the prescribed period (within 30 days prior to the start of maternity leave or the nearest Friday).

SSS

  • Reviews and approves the submitted Maternity or Sickness Notification/Application.

  • Remits the approved benefit amount to the company’s enrolled disbursement account.


  1. Maternity Benefit (Expanded Maternity Leave Law - RA 11210)

    1. Eligibility Requirements (Employee must meet all)

      1. Must be a female SSS member.

      2. Must have paid at least three (3) monthly contributions within the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of childbirth, miscarriage, or emergency termination of pregnancy (ETP).

      3. Must have notified the employer of the pregnancy and the expected date of delivery.


  1. Duration of Leave

TYPE OF CONTINGENCY

PAID LEAVE DURATION

Live Childbirth (Normal or C-Section)

105 days of paid leave (7 days may be transferred to the spouse, partner, or other qualified caregiver who is also an SSS member).

Solo Parent (under RA 8972)

120 days (105 days + 15 additional days) of paid leave.

Miscarriage or Emergency Termination Pregnancy

60 days of paid leave.

Optional Extension

Additional 30 days of unpaid leave (employee's option, with due notice to the company).


  1. Process - Maternity

Step 1: Employee submits the SSS Maternity Notification Form with the following:
 • SSS Maternity Notification Form
 • SSS Allocation Form
 • Proof of pregnancy

Step 2: HR-ER acknowledges receipt of the request and processes the notification via the SSS portal, generating a reference number.

Step 3: SSS notifies both the employer and employee of the application approval.

Step 4: HR-ER certifies the approved request.

Step 5: The employee must notify their immediate supervisor at least 30 days before the expected delivery date.

Step 6: The immediate supervisor files the Leave of Absence (LOA) request on behalf of the employee, including:
 • LOA form
 • SSS contribution confirmation

Step 7: HR-ER notifies Finance once requirements are complete.

Step 8: Finance processes the benefit payment within the prescribed timeframe (typically within two weeks before the expected delivery date).

Step 9: Finance informs the employee once the benefit has been credited.

Step 10: After delivery, the employee must submit to HR-ER the following:
 • Child’s birth certificate (stamped by the Local Civil Registrar)
 • Official receipt of the birth certificate

Remarks:

  • Late submission may cause delays in benefit crediting.

  • The SSS Maternity Notification Form includes an “undertaking” that must be signed by the employee.

  • All post-delivery documents must be submitted within 30 days from the date of delivery.


  1. Sickness Benefit

    1.  Eligibility Requirements

The employee must meet all of the following:

  1. Must be an active SSS-covered employee.

  2. Must be unable to work due to sickness or injury requiring at least four (4) consecutive days of confinement (home or hospital).

  3. Must have paid at least three (3) monthly contributions within the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of sickness.

  4. Must have exhausted all company-provided sick leave with pay for the current year.

  5. Must have notified the employer of the sickness/injury.


  1. Benefit Details

    1. Daily Sickness Allowance: 90% of the employee’s Average Daily Salary Credit (ADSC).

    2. Maximum Duration: Up to 120 days of SSS sickness benefit may be granted within one calendar year.


  1. Process – Sickness

Step 1: Employee submits the SSS Sickness Notification Form along with:

Medical certificate

Supporting medical records (e.g., hospital discharge summary, lab or diagnostic results, if applicable)

Step 2: HR-ER submits the documents via the SSS Online portal.

Step 3: HR-ER acknowledges receipt and provides the SSS reference number to the employee.

Step 4: HR-ER informs the employee once the claim is successfully filed.

Step 5: SSS approval may take approximately 2–3 weeks.

Step 6: Both HR-ER and the employee receive notification of the approved number of sick leave days.

Step 7: HR-ER certifies the approved claim via the SSS Employer Portal.

Step 8: The employee confirms the reimbursement through their personal My.SSS account.

Step 9: HR-ER forwards the approved amount to Finance for release to the employee.

Notes:

  • Home Confinement: Employees must notify HR-ER within 5 days from the start of sickness.

  • Hospital Confinement: Employees may notify HR-ER within one year from the date of confinement.


  1. Compliance and Recourse for Reimbursement Documents


To address the risk of non-reimbursement, all eligible employees must sign an Acknowledgement and Undertaking before the benefit advance is released.


POLICY ADDITION

DETAIL

UNDERTAKING

The employee acknowledges:

1. Receipt of the full SSS Maternity/Sickness Benefit advance from the company.

2. Commitment to submit all required post-contingency documents (e.g., certified birth certificate, medical abstract) within seven (7) calendar days of receipt.

3. Understanding that failure to submit these documents—resulting in denial of the company’s reimbursement claim—constitutes financial loss to the company.

FINAL PAY CLEARANCE

Submission of all SSS reimbursement documents shall be explicitly listed as a clearance requirement upon separation from the company.

 

  1. Recourse Process for Resigned Employees (Deduction Policy)

Deduction from final pay is highly regulated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and can only be done under specific, legally acceptable conditions.

STEP

RESPONSIBILITY

ACTION AND LEGAL BASIS

1. Written Demand for Documents

HR ER

Upon receipt of the resignation notice, HR must issue a written reminder citing the signed Undertaking and requiring submission of missing documents before clearance deadline.

2. Formal Notice of Intent to Deduct

HR ER

If the employee fails to comply, issue a second notice detailing the unsubmitted documents, the unreimbursed amount, and the legal basis for deduction (Affidavit of Undertaking).

3. Final Pay Deduction (As a Last Resort)

Finance

Deduct the unreimbursed amount from final pay as recovery of an unliquidated advance, not as repayment of the SSS benefit itself.

4. Post-Deduction Undertaking

Finance

Inform the employee that if reimbursement is later received from SSS, the deducted amount will be refunded immediately to the employee.


  1. Additional Compliance Measures

    1. Strict “No Documents, No Advance” Rule: The company shall only advance benefits once initial SSS documentation (Notification and medical records) is provided.

    2. Online Filing Mandate: All notifications must be filed via the My.SSS Employer Portal to ensure proper tracking and proof of submission.

    3. Dedicated HR/Payroll Focal: A designated HR/Payroll staff member shall maintain SSS process expertise and ensure accurate, timely compliance.


  1. Record-Keeping

The HR and FA Departments must retain copies of the following documents for a period of at least five (5) years as proof of compliance:

  • Employee's original Sickness/Maternity Notification Forms.

  • Supporting medical documents.

  • Proof of advance payment to the employee (e.g., payroll vouchers, bank transfer slips).

  • SSS online submission/acknowledgement receipts.

  • SSS approval of the benefit claim (Notice of Approval).

  • SSS reimbursement documents.

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