Senate Passes Bill Allowing Paid Maternity and Paternity Leaves
Posted by AROOJ AHMED
It was reported that the Pakistan Senate has just passed the Bill which makes it mandatory for employers to grand paid Maternity and Paternity leave to employees. The Maternity and Paternity leave a Bill, 2018, which comprehended that the policy will be applicable in both public and private establishments in the Federal Capital Territory, reported by Dawn News.
According to the Bill issued by the Senate, women will get paid Maternity leave for 180 days (six months) on first child-birth, 120 days (four months) on second child-birth, 90 days (three months) on third child-birth and more to this a man would be get paid Paternity leave of 30 days (one month), a whole three times during the service.
The bill was presented by Senator Quratulain Marri and was passed by the majority of votes on Monday such even as Government Senators opposed the move. It will be sent to the National Assembly for the debate.
Addressing the session on Monday, Senator Quratulain Marri lamented that female employees weren’t given Maternity leave on the public sector. She further added that even on the Senate women are told not to produce so many children. So on, the draft law states that the Paternity leave will not be granted more than three times in the entire service of a male employee, which was further added by her that expect when such leave is granted within his leave account basically or as an extraordinary leave without pay.
Nevertheless, not everyone was in favor of the Bill with the Government lawmakers and were questioning its utility and given there was already a provision for Maternity leaves in the flow.
Minister of Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, opposed the bill passed by the Senate under the Senator Quratulain Marri said that there was already a law to give 90-days (three months) Maternity leave to female employees and for sure for male employees could opt. 48 leaves in a year. The Minister of Economic Affairs, Hammad Azhar suggested lowering the number of Paternity leaves to 15 days adding that nowhere in the world there is a rule to provide this much Paternity leaves.
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