Israel’s Knesset decided to extend paid maternity leave for mothers Tuesday. A new law allows fathers to take off as well.
The length of the paid leave was extended from 12 to 14 weeks, and was supported by 95 MKs, with nobody voting against the motion, though it was opposed by the Finance Ministry. The law also extends leave from 14 to 17 weeks for multiple births. An average of 139,000 mothers receive paid maternity leave each year.
Likud MK Gidon Sa’ar, one of the bill’s sponsors, said that when the maternity leave law was passed in 1954, Israel was one of the leaders worldwide in maternity legislation, but has now begun to lag behind. He cited the 14-week minimum in the European Union and the 26-week leave granted in England.
Sa’ar said the Olmert government pressured him to postpone the date at which the law would come into effect to 2008, but he refused, and it went into effect the following day.
Paternity Leave Law Approved by Cabinet
At Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, a draft-measure granting paternity leave to men was approved as well. The law was proposed by the chairman of the Sephardic religious Shas party, Minister of Industry and Trade Eli Yishai.
The bill would allow a husband to replace his wife six weeks after birth in order to care for the infant at home.
The law will be reviewed and then presented to the Knesset.
The length of the paid leave was extended from 12 to 14 weeks, and was supported by 95 MKs, with nobody voting against the motion, though it was opposed by the Finance Ministry. The law also extends leave from 14 to 17 weeks for multiple births. An average of 139,000 mothers receive paid maternity leave each year.
Likud MK Gidon Sa’ar, one of the bill’s sponsors, said that when the maternity leave law was passed in 1954, Israel was one of the leaders worldwide in maternity legislation, but has now begun to lag behind. He cited the 14-week minimum in the European Union and the 26-week leave granted in England.
Sa’ar said the Olmert government pressured him to postpone the date at which the law would come into effect to 2008, but he refused, and it went into effect the following day.
Paternity Leave Law Approved by Cabinet
At Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, a draft-measure granting paternity leave to men was approved as well. The law was proposed by the chairman of the Sephardic religious Shas party, Minister of Industry and Trade Eli Yishai.
The bill would allow a husband to replace his wife six weeks after birth in order to care for the infant at home.
The law will be reviewed and then presented to the Knesset.