XN000022-1981-03-20 — Page 2

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1981

MORE WORKING MOTHERS TO GET PAID MATERNITY LEAVE

*****

THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO INTRODUCE PAID MATERNITY LEAVE FOR WOMEN EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (FRIDAY), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID THAT DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL ARE CONTAINED IN THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1981 PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

HE SAID THAT IF THE BILL IS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MATERNITY LEAVE PAY WILL APPLY TO ALL WOMEN MANUAL EMPLOYEES AND THOSE WOMEN NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING UP TO $6 000 A MONTH.

IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE PRESENT PROVISION FOR 10 WEEKS MATERNITY LEAVE UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE SHOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED BUT THAT IN FUTURE EMPLOYEES WHO TAKE MATERNITY LEAVE SHOULD BE PAID BY THE IR EMPLOYERS.

EMPLOYERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PAY WAGES IN LIEU OF MATERNITY LEAVE, NOR MAY IT BE COUNTED AS PAID ANNUAL LEAVE.

THE PROPOSED RATE OF MATERNITY LEAVE PAY IS, FOR MONTHLY PAID EMPLOYEES, TWO-THIRDS OF THE IR MONTHLY WAGES OR FOR DAILY PAID EMPLOYEES, TWO-THIRDS OF THEIR AVERAGE DAILY WAGE DURING THE PERIOD OF 28 DAYS PRECEDING THEIR MATERNITY LEAVE.

A WOMAN EMPLOYEE MAY FORFEIT HER ENTITLEMENT TO MATERNITY LEAVE PAY IF, WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF HER EMPLOYER, SHE WORKS FOR ANOTHER EMPLOYER DURING HER MATERNITY LEAVE.

IT IS PROPOSED THAT MATERNITY LEAVE PAY SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THREE SURVIVING CHILDREN.

+ IN OTHER WORDS, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED, TO QUALIFY FOR MATERNITY LEAVE PAY, A WOMAN EMPLOYEE MUST NOT HAVE MORE THAN TWO CHILDREN ALREADY.+

TO PROVE THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN SHE HAS, A WOMAN EMPLOYEE MUST MAKE A STATUTORY DECLARATION BEFORE A COMMISSIONER FOR OATHS EITHER IN THE SUPREME COURT, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, A CITY DISTRICT OFFICE OR A DISTRICT OFFICE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION. ANYONE MAKING A FALSE DECLARATION IS LIABLE ON CONVICTION TO A FINE OF $2 000.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS FOR MATERNITY LEAVE PAY ARE A MINIMUM OF 40 WEEKS' CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT PRIOR TO TAKING MATERNITY LEAVE AND THE GIVING OF NOTICE OF INTENTION TO TAKE THE LEAVE WITHIN 12 WEEKS BEFORE THE EXPECTED DATE OF CONFINEMENT.

IT IS ALSO PROPOSED THAT DAYS OFF FOR PREGNANCY CHECK-UPS OR POST-CONFINEMENT MEDICAL TREATMENT SHOULD BE REGARDED AS SICK LEAVE. THE SAME WILL APPLY TO ABSENCE FROM WORK DUE TO A MISCARRIAGE WHICH OCCURS DURING THE FIRST 28 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY.

AN EMPLOYEE ON SICK LEAVE IS ENTITLED TO SICKNESS ALLOWANCE AT TWO-THIRDS OF HER WAGES UP TO A MAXIMUM ACCUMULATION OF 36 DAYS.

THE SPOKESMAN