Women’s Association pushes for paid paternity leave

Shoppers browse cans of baby formula

The Women’s General Association is mounting pressure on the MSAR government to ensure that the proposed 14 extra days of maternity leave are fully paid. They are also urging authorities to implement a five-day paid paternity leave scheme.
In May, the Labor Affairs Bureau (DSAL) introduced a series of drafts aimed at amending the SAR’s current Labor Relations Law. One of these contained a proposal to extend paid maternity leave by 14 days. Another proposal considered the establishment of paternity leave.
Meanwhile, this year’s Policy Address saw the Chief Executive, Chui Sai On, promise to amend the Labor Relations Law to include paid paternity leave.
According to broadcaster TDM, Wong Kit Cheng, a lawmaker and also a member of the Women’s General Association, welcomed the move: “Civil servants [in Macau] have five days fully-paid paternity leave. Under the principle of social equality, we hope there will be five days paternity leave for all workers,” Wong said.
“This year’s Policy Address changes wordings from “research” to “law amendment”, and “paid leave” is also mentioned. We believe [that] society has reached a consensus to make it [paternity leave] paid leave; thus we hope the leave will be fully paid,” she explained.
At the moment mothers in Macau receive only 56 days of maternity leave, compared with 70 days in Hong Kong and 98 days in mainland China. Civil servants are the exception in Macau, being entitled to up to 90 days of maternity leave.