Processing of maternity and COVID-19 leave via digital platforms

With the declaration of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 as a pandemic in March 2020, the Mexican Social Security Institute (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social – IMSS) set up two new digital services for its beneficiaries which are available 24/7:

• Special COVID-19 leave: This tool makes it possible to answer a questionnaire remotely in order to conduct medical screening to check whether the user is suspected of being infected; this means people do not have to travel to medical units, thus breaking chains of infection.
• Online maternity leave: Pregnant women are a vulnerable population group; therefore, it is essential to simplify the administrative process for their leave, offering a 100 per cent online alternative without the need to travel to medical services. A tool was made available both for women who underwent prenatal care with the Institute and for those who received said care through private means.

With both tools, payment of the allowances is made by bank transfer.