New fathers to get 10 days paternity leave from August 2

New fathers will have 10 days of paternity leave, as opposed to the current two days, as from August 2 when the EU Work-Life Balance Directive comes into force. 

Parents whose children are under eight years old, will also have the right to request flexible working hours, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue Andy Ellul announced.

Under the current law, a pregnant woman who is in employment is entitled to 18 uninterrupted weeks of maternity leave, where the first 14 weeks are paid by the employer, and the remaining four weeks are paid by the government.  

On the other hand, a father is entitled to birth leave consisting of one working day on the occasion of the birth of his child. From August 2, fathers will be able to take 10 days of paternity leave within the first 15 days of the baby’s birth.

Asked why Malta waited until the last minute to introduce the directive, Ellul said that over the past year the issue was being discussed with stakeholders and was before the Employment Relations Board. The onset of the pandemic, in March 2020, also delayed matters due to the financial instability brought about.

Parents will also be entitled to two weeks of paid parental leave each...