New content is added to the site regularly, so visit us frequently or subscribe to our mailing list to catch up with all that we have to tell you!
Home > First Year > Parents Talk: Maternity Leave in Malta
 Parents Talk: Maternity Leave in Malta.
A few months ago, The European Union was considering extending the minimum number of weeks of maternity leave from 14 to 20 for all its member countries. This sparked various talks here in Malta, as mothers, employers and tax payers gave their views on what this would mean for the mothers, the economy and gender equality. However, the members of Parliament voted against the extension and the situation in Malta stayed as it was, 14 weeks of maternity leave that is paid by the employer.
BabiesMalta.com conducted a short survey amongst mothers, and as biased as mothers can be, all expressed their wish to have an extended maternity leave.
In Malta, maternity leave can be taken during the last few weeks of pregnancy and after birth, though in some companies, the way maternity leave is taken is not the mother’s choice. Liana* complained about this. “I was forced to start my maternity leave a month before my due date. My baby was then 10 days overdue, so I had to leave back for work when the baby was actually less than 9 weeks old. Thank god, I had kept some leave which I then added to the maternity leave, and went back to work when my son was 11 weeks old. It was still very hard, and believe me, if I had a choice I would have quit. My mother takes care of my son while I am at work now.”
In some working places, mothers can add unpaid leave to their maternity leave, so as to stay a few more weeks with the baby. Martina* left for work when her son when he was 5 months old. ”I remember how I cried on my way to work on my first day, it got better after a few days, but I can’t imagine leaving him when he was just 3 months, those extra 2 months make so much difference.” However not all mothers are as lucky as Martina, as unpaid leave is not always a viable option for the parents and for the employer. The smaller the company is, the more will the mother’s absence bear down on it.
Louisa from Birzebbuga is still pregnant and is planning on taking maternity leave very soon: “In my opinion, 14 weeks are not enough since technically, if the mother does not afford to continue to take Parental leave after the Maternity Leave, which is unpaid, she is being 'forced' to leave a newborn with someone she trusts... And if she doesn't have anyone who could take care of her baby she would need to find a Day Care Center, which most of the time is to be paid for.”
There is no denying that going back to work after the baby is born is not easy. Child care centres have increased, but in many cases, their price eats a big chunk of the parent’s salary. In some cases, mothers opt to stay at home because the few bucks that end up in their pocket are really not worth the hassle.
What are your views on getting back to work after the baby is born? Do you believe that a mother’s place is at home, or do you feel that every mother should have the option and facilities to go back to work? Do you feel that Maltese parents have adequate facilities? How do you cope with work and children? Share your views with Babies Malta by clicking here.
|
