Mothers get extra maternity leave for second child

WomenemployeesinBeijingwhogivebirthtoasecondchildcouldhavetheirmaternityleaveextendedbyuptothreemonths,accordingtoarevisedregulationonfamilyplanningadoptedbythecityonThursday.

TheregulationwasbasedontherevisednationalLawonPopulationandFamilyPlanningadoptedonJan1.ThelawallowsallChinesecouplestohavetwochildren,puttinganendtothenationalpolicythatallowedonlyonechildformostcoupleswholiveinurbanareas.

Theirhusbandscanalsohave15daysleaveaftertheirbabiesareborn.

Theregulationsaidthatallwomenemployeeswhogivebirthcanhavematernalleaveforaslongas218days,includingthe98daysleavemandatedbynationallawand30daysleaveofferedbytheBeijingregulation.Inaddition,womenemployeescanhaveextraleaveofbetweenoneandthreemonthswiththeconsentoftheiremployers.

Accordingtothepreviousregulation,whichencouragedlatermarriageandpregnancyandhavingonlyonechild,onlywomenemployeeswhohadtheirfirstchildwhentheywere24yearsoroldercouldhave30daysadditionalleave,andonlywomenemployeeswhodecidedtohavejustonechildcouldenjoyadditionalmaternalleaveofthreemonthswithemployerconsent.

Otheramendmentsincludeallowingsomepeople,suchasthosewithachildwithdisabilities,tohaveathirdchild.

Allowingwomenemployeestohaveadditionalleavewasmadeto"maintainthephysicalandpsychologicalhealthofmothersandtheirbabies,consideringtheburdenonthesocialsecurityfundandemployers",saidLiuZhengang,chiefoftheBeijingLegalAffairsOffice.

Morethan4,100suggestionswerecollectedfromthepubliconthedraftlawbeforeitwassubmittedtotheBeijingPeople'sCongress,thecity'stoplegislature,hesaid.

Otherprovincesandmunicipalitieshaverevisedtheirfamilyplanningregulations.InShanghai,allwomenemployeescannowgetmaternalleaveofatleast128days.

(CHINADAILY)