Law provides for 14 weeks maternity leave, says PS |11 March 2008

He denied recent allegations in a section of the local press which claimed that the ladies are getting only 12 weeks as before, despite President James Michel’s announcement that the government was changing the law to allow for women with children an additional two weeks of maternity leave.

He said that the Ministry of Health and Social Development, MEHRD and all employment partners are aware of the change, are complying, and there have been no complaints made to his ministry.

“Once President Michel made the announcement, we went to the Cabinet with the memoranda, which was approved. It went to the Attorney General’s office for drafting, it was drafted and has been published in the gazette and so as from January 1, 2008, every newly delivered mother is now entitled to 14 weeks’ leave,” he said.

The PS said that the 12-week leave periods started in the Year 1999 after adjusting the leave from 10 weeks.
“From 1992 it was 10 weeks, and before that it was eight weeks, so we have been very proactive where maternity leave is concerned,” he said.

Mr Ragain said that although Seychelles has not ratified the Maternity Protection Convention, there is no reason why it cannot because Seychelles now meets the conditions of the convention.