If you have to take care of your child, you can request a paid reduction in working hours.
When a child or adolescent develops a mental health disorder, it is a very stressful and uncertain time for the family. It is important to dedicate the necessary time to supporting the treatment and the measures provided by the team, such as participating in all the interviews, workshops, and support groups offered.
This situation requires a significant time commitment, and mothers and fathers often find themselves facing work-life balance issues that make it difficult to manage everything. Sometimes, one of them considers temporarily leaving their job or reducing their working hours to focus on supporting their child, with all that this decision entails.
If this is your case and you live in Spain, you can take advantage of the CUME benefit.
Caring for the emotional health of families in the face of illness
The CUME benefit (Care of a Child Affected by Cancer or Another Serious Illness) is a benefit provided by the National Social Security Institute (INSS). Either parent can access it, provided both are employed (and registered with Social Security) at the time of application. This also applies to single-parent families where both parents are employed.
This benefit consists of a subsidy that compensates for the loss of income suffered by working parents, adoptive parents or foster parents, who reduce their working hours (minimum of 50%) and their salary to directly, continuously and permanently care for the minor in their charge affected by cancer or another legally determined serious illness.
The following pathologies are included within the list of serious illnesses and in the psychiatry section:
- Eating disorder.
- Severe behavioral disorder.
- Major depressive disorder.
- Psychotic disorder.
- Schizophrenic disorder
- Any other serious psychiatric illness that, as indicated by a doctor, requires permanent care in a hospital setting or home hospitalization.
The benefit is available to self-employed and employed workers provided that:
- They are affiliated and registered in some scheme of the Social Security System.
- Provide proof of the required contribution period.
- Be up to date with your payments.
- Reduce your working hours by at least 50%.
- The person who takes advantage of the benefit can request a 99.9% reduction in working hours.
The initial recognition period will be one month, extendable to two months provided that the need for child care is justified, which must be proven through a declaration from the physician of the Public Health Service (PSP).
The financial benefit consists of a subsidy equivalent to 100% of the regulatory base established for the temporary incapacity (TI) benefit.
Regarding the management and payment of the benefit, it will be the responsibility of the Mutual Insurance Company for Work Accidents and Professional Injuries or, if not, the managing entity with which the company has arranged coverage for occupational risks.
To learn more about this benefit and how to apply for it, you can consult the website of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.
Image: Ariadna Creus and Ángel García | Banc d'Imatges Infermeres
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