NASSAU – The Bahamas government says it will soon embark upon public consultations on extended maternity leave as part of the efforts to reform the labour laws in the country.
“We’ve been having focus groups, we’ve been having stakeholder meetings, we’ve been having benchmarking and research,” said Labour and Public Service Minister, Pia Glover-Rolle, adding “our next step is public consultation.”
“We don’t only want to speak in the silos of employee and employer organizations, but we want to hear what the public has to say about it.”
In the Bahamas, mothers are granted 12 weeks maternity leave with employers mandated to pay at least one third of the eligible worker’s pay.
Organizations, including the Bahamas National Breastfeeding Association (BNBA), have been calling for an extension of the maternity leave and earlier this year, the government said changes to the labour law would grant women an extended period of maternity leave following an input from trade unions and employers during the formulation process.
The BNBA, which is seeking 20 weeks for maternity leave, said it would be willing to accept 16 weeks, but The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation (BCCEC) and others have argued that increased maternity leave may lead to a number of challenges for businesses, including operational disruptions and financial strain stemming from the temporary replacement of staff members.
“Maternity leave is something that we’re getting good feedback on, positive feedback on,” said Glover-Rolle, adding across the board it seems from the stakeholders, that it’s something that everyone thinks is required, it’s necessary.
“Determining that benchmark, we’re getting closer to that, but of course, we’ll have the public’s input in short order to ensure that everyone has a stake in the conversation,” she added.
Paternity leave and mental health leave have also been included in discussions surrounding labour amendments, with eligible fathers currently being allowed only one week of leave following the birth of a child. (CMC)
