Maternity leave for unmarried women in gov’t service pushed

PARTY-LIST lawmakers are pushing for the passage of a measure seeking to provide maternity leave benefits to unmarried pregnant women in government service.

In filing House Bill 4684, the party-lists Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis, Yacap and Kabataan are clamoring for the removal of discrimination against unmarried women government workers. Under the measure, unmarried government women employees should also be entitled to maternity leave and other benefits provided by the Government Service Insurance System.

Gabriela Representatives Emmy de Jesus and Luz Ilagan and Yacap Rep. Carol Jayne Lopez underscored the need for the government to provide universal maternity leave benefits to unmarried women in government service.

At present, among the requirements for the availment of the maternity leave benefits include current government employment, payment of at least three monthly GSIS contributions in the 12-month period preceding the semester of her childbirth, abortion or miscarriage, and the employee’s notification to her employer of her pregnancy and probable date of childbirth.

“There is a need to correct the present legislation concerning the maternity leave benefits of unmarried government employees for being discriminatory and for violating the equal protection principle under Philippine laws,” De Jesus, the main author of the bill, said.

“One such discriminatory policy is the lack of maternity leave benefits to unmarried pregnant employees, which deprives both the women and their unborn children of the protection they are entitled to,” Ilagan added. Jester Manalastas