All employers can now claim reimbursement under the maternity leave benefits scheme online — as long as they paid the required contributions for their working mothers — thanks to Rwanda Social Security Board’s (RSSB) digital system. With it, an employer can keep track of their application processing status. The scheme digitisation is part of Ishema (accessible on ishema.rssb.rw), a comprehensive online platform developed by RSSB to streamline the process of filing and remitting payroll-based taxes (contributions levied on employees’ salaries to finance social security schemes). On Friday, January 10, RSSB hosted a one-day seminar aimed at equipping employers with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively manage contributions, declarations, and claims for the reimbursement of maternity leave benefits — in line with the system. Ivan Magwene, Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs at RSSB, said that the move is in line with the social security institution’s zero trip, zero paper agenda meant for improving service delivery through automation. He urged employers to embrace the use of the new system for contribution declaration and claims for reimbursements under the maternity leave benefits scheme. Currently, a female employee is, overall, entitled to a maternity leave of 14 weeks (three months and a half), following the enactment of the law of June 2024 amending that of 2016 establishing and governing the maternity leave benefits scheme. That period means two more weeks compared to the previous 12 weeks of leave, an extension intended to improve maternal and child care. The existing law provides that an employer pays a woman on maternity leave a salary of 14 weeks, including the eight weeks covered by the social security administration (which is RSSB, currently). Then, RSSB reimburses the employer for the benefits of eight weeks paid to a woman on maternity leave, while the salary of six weeks is paid by the employer. Annet Kokundeka, Maternity Leave Benefits Scheme Manager at RSSB, highlighted the new platform in furthering the provision of better services to members. She said it was developed to, among other purposes, fast-track service delivery for employers to be able to claim due reimbursement without making trips and to save them the time they were spending in the process, including on queues at RSSB offices, as they can now do it from wherever they are. She decried a situation where some employers pay women on maternity leave a salary for a shorter period than that provided for by the law. ALSO READ: New changes to maternity leave law will enhance benefits for women, men – RSSB “You should comply with the provision of the law,” she said, underscoring the importance of fully paid leave for the well-being of the mother and the child. She told employers that the right to get reimbursed ends six months after a woman comes back to work from maternity leave [since 2024, as provided for by the law]. Earlier, it was six months from the day on which the female worker gave birth. Josiane Ornella Mugabekazi, Human Resources Manager at Business Development Fund (BDF), welcomed the new online platform, saying that it is going to ease their work by eliminating paperwork that was involved in the manual operations, and the “long time” it was taking in declaring contributions and claiming reimbursement. “The manual method was taking a long time, filling out the forms, getting them printed, and then physically submitting them to RSSB to get signed. “We were producing three files — two we were submitting to RSSB and one that remained at our reception desk for archiving,” she said, adding that the system will address the issue of many pieces of paper being used and queues inconveniencing them. Gaspard Hategekimana, Director of Administration and Finance at Shema Clinic, said strategies were needed to ensure that all female workers who give birth get salaried maternity leave. “Many small companies that employ many mothers do not declare contributions for them,” he said. Kokundeka pointed out that though RSSB advises employers to comply with the legislation, penalties apply to those who persistently break the legislation. “We encourage employers to contribute to maternity leave benefits scheme for their workers’ welfare,” she said adding that failure to do that violates the law and female employees’ rights.
