Social security and parental rights in Brazil and Portugal

Developments regarding social security and parental rights in Brazil and Portugal involve both regulatory requirements and legal rulings.

In Brazil, maternity benefit eligibility for 2026 depends on worker classification. While formal and domestic workers receive 120 days of paid leave without minimum contribution requirements, self-employed professionals, micro-entrepreneurs, and rural workers must demonstrate at least 10 prior social security contributions or 10 months of continuous field production. Additionally, a ruling by the Regional Uniformization Chamber of the Federal Special Courts of the 4th Region established that single-parent female providers are entitled to double installments of Residual Emergency Aid under Law 13.982/2020, interpreting the law to ensure a single provider with minor dependents receives two quotas.

In Portugal, labor data from the Commission for Equality in Work and Employment (CITE) highlighted vulnerabilities, including reports of companies refusing to renew contracts for pregnant or breastfeeding women and a gender pay gap that reached 15.4% in 2023. Regarding family support, the Social Security Institute clarified that employment status does not disqualify parents from receiving monthly family allowances, which are intended to offset costs for child support and education. For children aged 36 months or younger, monthly payments range from 88.43 to 190.98 euros based on income brackets.

Furthermore, pregnant women in Portugal can request a pregnancy certificate starting from the 13th week of gestation to access prenatal family allowances. This document, issued by medical professionals, is used differently depending on employment: under the general regime, it is sent to Social Security, while public employees use the Caixa Geral de Aposentações. Certificates are centrally registered by SPMS and accessible via the SNS 24 portal.