If you return to work before your child-raising leave ends, you have two things to organise in parallel: placing your child (state or private nursery, nanny, grandparents) and the return-to-work incentive (~1,500 or ~650 lei), combinable with a salary. Employer nursery vouchers (740 lei/month from April 2026) help a lot with the nursery fee. Below you’ll find how to organise it all.
The return-to-work incentive
If you return to work before your child-raising leave ends, you get a fixed monthly incentive, combinable with a salary (but not with the child-raising allowance in the same month): ~1,500 lei or ~650 lei, depending on when you return. Details in the return-to-work incentive; for the terminology, see the Romanian equivalent of GYES.
Options for placing your child
- State nursery (0–3) — the cheapest (just the food contribution), but places are limited. See enrolling in a state nursery.
- Private nursery — more places, year-round, but more expensive.
- A nanny — flexible, but the most expensive; see nanny, nursery or grandparents.
- Grandparents — “free”, with an opportunity cost.
Nursery vouchers from your employer
If your employer offers them, nursery vouchers (740 lei/month from April 2026) can cover the whole contribution at a state nursery or part of a private nursery’s fee. See nursery vouchers.
How to organise early
- Secure a place early — state nurseries have a spring calendar; private ones admit year-round, subject to places.
- Coordinate with your employer on the timing of your return (it affects the incentive amount) and on nursery vouchers.
- Calculate the real cost (nursery minus vouchers minus incentive) for your decision.
- Have a plan B (nanny, grandparents) if you don’t get a nursery place immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get support if I return to work? Yes — the return-to-work incentive (~1,500 or ~650 lei), combinable with a salary, but not with the child-raising allowance in the same month.
What placement options do I have? A state nursery (cheapest, few places), a private nursery (more places, more expensive), a nanny or grandparents.
Do nursery vouchers help? Yes — 740 lei/month from April 2026, if your employer offers them. At a state nursery they can cover the whole contribution.
When do I organise the nursery place? Early — state nurseries follow the spring calendar; private ones admit year-round, subject to places.
Can the incentive combine with the allowance? With the state child allowance, yes; with the child-raising allowance, not in the same month.
Sources
- Emergency Ordinance no. 111/2010 (the return-to-work incentive)
- Law no. 165/2018 (nursery vouchers)
- ANPIS / AJPIS Cluj and Creșa pentru Educație Timpurie Cluj-Napoca
See all our official sources on the data sources page.
Conclusion
When returning to work, organise in parallel placing your child and the return-to-work incentive (~1,500/650 lei), and use nursery vouchers (740 lei). Secure a place early, and see every nursery and kindergarten on the interactive piticluj.ro map.