Senate Okays Bill Increasing Maternity Leave To 100 Days

The Senate on Monday passed on third and final reading a bill seeking to increase maternity leave in the public and private sectors to 100 days regardless of the mode of delivery.

The senators voted 19-0 to approve Senate Bill No. 2982, which if signed into law, would change the current laws that 60 days of maternity leave for government employees and 60 to 78 days for employees in the private sector.

Senator Pia Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality and sponsor of bill, said the current allowable maternity leave is less than the 98-day minimum requirement of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

She said SBN 2982, known as the Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2015, aims to provide mothers with ample transition time to regain health and overall wellness as well as to assume their maternal roles before resuming full-time work.

It would also give mothers sufficient financial support while on maternity leave, she added.

Cayetano said the mothers can also avail of an additional maternity leave of 30 days “without pay” provided that the employee gives the head of the agency due notice, in writing, 45 days before the end of her ordinary maternity leave.

“The expansion of the maternity leave period shall not in any way diminish the existing maternity benefits granted by the employer. It shall not affect the female employee’s security of tenure,” she stressed.

According to the proposed bill, employees from the private sector availing of the maternity leave period and benefits must receive not less than two-thirds of their regular monthly wages.

Data from Social Security System (SSS) show that for the years 2012 to 2014, the availment of the maternity leave is less than two percent of the total female population of SSS members.

Exempted from giving cash benefits are employers who are operating distressed establishments and retail/service establishments employing not more than 10 workers.

Also exempted are employers who pay their workers on commission, boundary or task basis and those engaged in the production, processing, or manufacturing of products and commodities including agro-processing, trading, and services whose total assets are not more than PhP3-million. (PNA) LGI/JFM