Maternity leave allowance for employers opens

The Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) has introduced Administrative Regulation No. 34/2024, providing a temporary allowance for employers who offer paid maternity leave to employees, as part of the new “Supplementary Allowance Plan for Maternity Leave Remuneration”. Employers offering 70 days of paid maternity leave to resident employees who give birth between May 26, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2025, can apply for an allowance equal to 14 days’ worth of the employee’s base pay. Applications must be submitted within 150 days of the employee’s delivery, with a deadline of Jan. 27, 2025, for those whose childbirth occurs before Oct. 29, 2024.