Social organization endorses IR operators for proactive maternity leave initiatives

[Photo; Yuki Lei]

The Women’s General Association of Macau submitted its written recommendations to the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) yesterday, urging more small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt a 90-day maternity leave policy.

Local authorities have launched a 45-day public consultation on amendments to the Labor Relations Law, which is set to conclude on Monday.

Macau’s six IR operators recently announced enhanced maternity leave benefits, raising the entitlement from 70 days to 90 days. They will also provide one additional day of annual leave for every two years of service, up to a maximum of 12 days – a move that received public support from the association.

“We strongly endorse the approach taken by the six integrated resort (IR) operators. As large corporations, they have demonstrated social responsibility and set a positive example for society,” said lawmaker Loi I Weng, vice-president of the association, in response to media inquiries at the event.

“We hope more SMEs will follow suit in implementing the 90-day maternity leave policy.”

Recognizing the importance of achieving societal support for new mothers during their postpartum recovery, the group also emphasized its proactive stance in officially announcing policies that provide 90 days of paid maternity leave and seven days of paid paternity leave, thus setting a precedent for family-friendly workplace practices.

The group’s submission on amending the Labor Relations Law was received by DSAL deputy director Chan Chon U on behalf of the authorities.

Notably, the association conducted a questionnaire survey that garnered more than a thousand responses, revealing that the overwhelming majority agreed that extending maternity leave is essential for postpartum recovery, promotes breastfeeding, and benefits both maternal and infant health.

According to Loi, the association has submitted four recommendations to the authorities, underscoring the urgent need to extend maternity leave to 90 days. She explained the rationale, stating, “This is crucial for postpartum recovery, maternal and infant health, and especially breastfeeding. We have also considered the needs of women expecting twins or multiple births.”

As noted, other recommendations include urging the government to extend the duration of maternity leave subsidies to alleviate financial burdens on SMEs and to convert temporary maternity leave subsidy measures into permanent policies to bolster confidence among both society and SMEs.

The group also called for further family-friendly measures, such as prioritizing the extension of paid paternity leave for men and implementing childcare leave, prenatal check-up leave, and breastfeeding breaks. These initiatives aim to foster a supportive environment for childbearing while improving rights for family caregivers and enhancing access to better job-matching services during maternity leave periods.

Separately, the group expressed its support for the government’s plan to increase annual leave by one day for every two years.

However, it noted that some employers have raised concerns about the potential strain this could place on operations, particularly due to human resources shortages in SMEs. It urged authorities to pay close attention to the actual operational conditions of SMEs.