JakartaPost-June 6, 2024
A recently passed law governing the rights of women and children during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life paves the way for longer maternity leave, although lawmakers assert that the longer break only applies in certain conditions. The law, passed unanimously by the House of Representatives in a plenary session on Tuesday, stipulates that a female worker is eligible for three months of maternity leave at the shortest. The leave can be prolonged for another three months in certain medical conditions, as proven by a statement from a doctor. “This is in line with the Jobs Law,” said Golkar Party lawmaker Ace Hasan Syadzily, who is also deputy chair of House Commission VIII overseeing women’s empowerment and child protection, on Wednesday, as quoted by kompas.com. A mother taking maternity leave must receive a full paycheck for the first three months of the break. Should her leave be extended, she is entitled to 100 percent of her wage in the fourth month and three-quarters of her wage for the following two months. The legislation also mandates legal protection for mothers taking maternity leave for giving birth or recovering from a miscarriage, barring them from being fired from their jobs during the leave. It orders central or regional authorities to provide legal assistance for mothers barred from receiving their rights for taking such leave. Ace of Golkar said the law focused on mothers during pregnancy and giving birth, as well as children during the first 1,000 days of their lives. “We know that the mortality rates of pregnant mothers and newborns are high,” he said, “so this is how the state is paying attention to the most crucial phase of a child’s development.” Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2024/06/06/new-law-paves-way-for-longer-maternity-leave.html
