90 Days Maternity Leave
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, women play a very important role in family and national development and they account half of the world populations. The number of women active in the workforce is increasing rapidly. Women choose to out for work or have to return to work (either full or part time) after their babies are born. Due to the high cost of living, it requires both partners to work and this reflects changing in demographic patterns. The nuclear family with a wife at home is a reality for only a small proportion of the population and, for better or worse, a diminishing one.
The role of women in society is radically changing in Malaysia. Therefore, the Government should recognize the role of women in the nation’s development. Economic pressures, the women’s movement, and the psychological demands to develop one’s identity are encouraging women to take a more active role outside the home, to pursue full-time careers or education and to participate more widely in society generally.
At this moment, employers find that they employ large numbers of women and are dependent on their skills, thus liberal maternity leave provisions can help with long-term recruitment and retention. It enables employers to attract qualified women and be a very useful and cost-effective policy in areas of professional skill shortage.
As spoken by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak in his speech for 2011 Budget, The Government is concerned with the career prospects and welfare of female civil servants as they need to take care of their families, particularly newborn babies. To improve the maternity leave facility for female civil servants, the Government will allow flexibility to self-determine fully-paid maternity leave, not exceeding 90 days from the current 60 days. This facility is subject to a total of 300 days of maternity leave throughout the tenure of service.
Initiative to increase the existing paid maternity leave from 60 days to 90 days has become an
Nowadays, women play a very important role in family and national development and they account half of the world populations. The number of women active in the workforce is increasing rapidly. Women choose to out for work or have to return to work (either full or part time) after their babies are born. Due to the high cost of living, it requires both partners to work and this reflects changing in demographic patterns. The nuclear family with a wife at home is a reality for only a small proportion of the population and, for better or worse, a diminishing one.
The role of women in society is radically changing in Malaysia. Therefore, the Government should recognize the role of women in the nation’s development. Economic pressures, the women’s movement, and the psychological demands to develop one’s identity are encouraging women to take a more active role outside the home, to pursue full-time careers or education and to participate more widely in society generally.
At this moment, employers find that they employ large numbers of women and are dependent on their skills, thus liberal maternity leave provisions can help with long-term recruitment and retention. It enables employers to attract qualified women and be a very useful and cost-effective policy in areas of professional skill shortage.
As spoken by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak in his speech for 2011 Budget, The Government is concerned with the career prospects and welfare of female civil servants as they need to take care of their families, particularly newborn babies. To improve the maternity leave facility for female civil servants, the Government will allow flexibility to self-determine fully-paid maternity leave, not exceeding 90 days from the current 60 days. This facility is subject to a total of 300 days of maternity leave throughout the tenure of service.
Initiative to increase the existing paid maternity leave from 60 days to 90 days has become an
Bibliography: * Malaysia Employment Act 1955, Legal Research Board, 2001 * http://en.wikipedia.org