Government is moving to expand expanded maternity protections, along with parental leave.
Yesterday, Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste announced Cabinet approval for sweeping amendments to the Maternity Protection Act and the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act.
Among other things, he said the law will formally recognize paternity and parental leave, extending benefits to adoptive parents and guardians, and applying parental leave where a mother dies following childbirth.
Government also intends to remove the rule limiting maternity benefits to once every 24 months.
Other reforms will include: the introduction of paid breastfeeding breaks; strengthening of protections against workplace discrimination; a ban on pregnancy testing for job applicants and employees; guarantee of a return to the same job after maternity, paternity or parental leave; shifting the burden of proof to employers; extending full protections to contract workers; and fast-tracking cases through the Industrial Court.
The legislation is said to be before the Attorney General for drafting.
The move has been described by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as a major win for working families.
In a social media post, she advised young women to “reflect on the gift of motherhood”, adding “You do not have to choose between a career and a family you can have both.”
