Bills to provide equal maternity leave for all women presented

By Skandha Gunasekara

The Government, last week, presented two Bills to amend the Shop and Office Employees (Regulation Employment and Remuneration) Act and the Maternity Benefits Ordinance.

The Bills are to introduce provisions to increase the maternity leave for female workers to 84 days for the confinement of delivery of a child and 28 days for the confinement of delivery of a deceased child.

The two Bills were presented to the House for the First Reading by Chief Government Whip Minister Gayantha Karunatilake.

Current laws only entitle 42 days of maternity leave for women with two or more children while women who give birth to their first or second child are entitled 84 days of maternity leave.

The two Amendment Bills were presented to grant 84 days of maternity leave for all women who give birth to a live child.

Accordingly, of the 12 weeks of maternity leave, a woman could utilise two weeks prior to her confinement. If she worked any number of days during the last two weeks before her confinement she can use such leave with the 10 weeks leave immediately after her confinement.

Furthermore, if the confinement does not result in a live child, a woman is entitled to 42 days maternity leave of which she can utilise two weeks leave before her confinement.

The Bills are to be moved for debate to another date.

Maternity leave is paid leave given in addition to holidays and other annual leave an employee is entitled to.