Currently receiving professional preferential allowances, kindergarten teachers on maternity leave are required to return money

Sending a question to the Hanoi City e-Portal, reader L.T. T asked: "I am a public preschool teacher working in Thanh Oai district (old). I gave birth in January 2026 and took maternity leave from January 2026 to the end of June 2026 according to the provisions of the Law on Social Insurance.

Before taking maternity leave, I was receiving a professional preferential allowance for teachers at 35%. During the maternity leave, the unit paid professional preferential allowances to me from January 2026 to April 2026. However, currently the unit requests me to return the allowance received on the grounds that teachers taking maternity leave are not eligible for professional preferential allowances.

I learned that Decree No. 182/2026/ND-CP stipulates that maternity leave is not counted for enjoying professional preferential allowances. At the same time, Clause 4, Article 10 of this Decree stipulates transition for female teachers who are on maternity leave and have been paid professional preferential allowances before the Decree takes effect.

Therefore, I respectfully request your agency to answer the following contents:

Is the case of a public preschool teacher taking maternity leave from January 2026 to the end of June 2026 like me eligible to continue to enjoy professional preferential allowances according to the provisions of Clause 4, Article 10 of Decree No. 182/2026/ND-CP?

In case I have been paid professional preferential allowances from January 2026 to April 2026, do I have to return the received amount?

We respectfully ask your agency to consider and guide us and our unit to implement the regulations correctly. Thank you very much.

Regarding this content, the Hanoi City Data Communication and Digital Technology Center would like to provide the following information:

Regarding the content of this question, the Department of Education and Training has issued a document guiding answers on the implementation of the professional preferential allowance regime for teachers on maternity leave in 2026, with the following content:

Based on the provisions of Clause 4, Article 10 of Decree No. 182/2026/ND-CP dated May 22, 2026 of the Government stipulating the regime of professional preferential allowances for teachers, educational institution managers and educational support personnel working in public educational institutions (effective from July 7, 2026), it has stipulated:

In case female teachers are on maternity leave and are paid professional preferential allowances according to the decision of the competent authority before the effective date of this Decree, they will continue to be paid according to the decision.

Therefore, public preschool teachers taking maternity leave from January 2026 to the end of June 2026 have been paid professional preferential allowances according to the decision of the competent authority and are subject to the transitional regulations in Clause 4, Article 10 of Decree No. 182/2026/ND-CP.

Cases that have been paid preferential allowances according to the profession from January 2026 to April 2026 do not have to return the received amount.

Read the original here.