The Citizen reports that new dads could get more days of paternity leave off and may even get to dig into their Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), a privilege only available to fired employees.  

Speaking on Tuesday ahead of labour month, Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant said she foresaw further tweaks to legislation.  In terms of current legislation, fathers were give three days’ leave, while mothers got three months.  Dads may, with Parliament’s go-ahead, get 10 days.  Going forward, if enacted, maternity benefits would no longer be on a sliding scale but at a flat rate of 60% of salary.  Oliphant also said that unemployed contributors to the UIF would be able to receive benefits for 365 days instead of 238 days.  Furthermore, a woman who lost her baby in the third trimester would also be entitled to the full benefit.

• Read this report by Denise Williams in full at The Citizen

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