Exclusive - FINALLY! House Panel Approves 100-day Maternity Leave Period with Pay!

Finally, a bill concerned with the needs of women has been passed in the House of Representative. The Committee on Women and Gender Equality recently proposed a bill asking to increase the current 60-day maternity leave period to 100 days with pay.

The House Bill 4113 also known as the “100-Day Maternity Leave Law” covers all female workers, regardless of civil status, in the event of a miscarriage or abortion, female workers in the informal economy, those with pending administrative cases and those who are non-members of the Social Security System (SSS). It also wishes to secure the tenure of female workers and emphasizes that maternity leave shouldn’t be used as a basis for demotion and reduction in rank, status or salary.

Furthermore, one part of its provisions states:

“Another provision states that a female SSS member who has paid at least three monthly contributions in the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage shall be paid her daily maternity benefit which shall be computed based on the average monthly salary credit, for 100 days, regardless if the delivery was normal or cesarean and subject to conditions as provided in the bill,"

In addition, females working in the private sectors shall be given 2/3 of their regular monthly wages.