Family Care and Paternity Leave days to be reduced during the COVID-19 period due to an Act of God

The Family Care Leave and Paternity Leave of 5 days each will be reduced to 2 days each during the COVID-19 period and resume to 5 days each when a decision is made by the Minister for Employment.

While tabling the Employment Relations bill in parliament, Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the bill seeks to amend the Act to provide for a more realistic work environment which enables the sustainability of jobs and businesses, and to clarify the meaning of “an act of God” in the act during the COVID-19 period. In this case, the “act of God” includes a pandemic declared by the World Health Organization.

The proposed changes include reducing the entitlement to paid Family Care Leave to 2 days, reducing the entitlement to Paternity Leave to 2 days during the COVID-19 period and providing for the transition to the reduced family care and paternity leave entitlements during the COVID-19 period.

Sayed-Khaiyum also says those who have taken more than 2 days of this leave will not be affected.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the increased maternity leave days will not be reduced. He also says annual leave, sick leave and bereavement leave days are also not affected.

Debate on the bill will take place this afternoon.