FNC approves own version of maternity leave legislation

The Federal National Council defied the government yesterday and after a lengthy debate approved its own amended draft law on maternity leave for civil servants.

The FNC approval of its amendments came at the last general assembly of the Second Session of the 12th Legislative Chapter. The Second Session was declared concluded by a decree issued by President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Speaker Mohammed Khalifa Al Habtour read out the decree to declare the session closed until November.

The FNC and the government have been at odds since 1999 over maternity leave described in Article No. 54 (now amended to 55) of the Federal Government Civil Services Council (CSC).
Yesterday's session was attended by Minister of Cabinet Affairs Saeed Khalfan Al Ghaith and Minister of State for Financial and Industrial Affairs Dr Mohammed Khalfan Al Kharbash.

After two hours of heated debate, members voted for the amendments proposed by the house committee, which calls for six-months' leave for civil servants - two months paid leave for delivery, two months half-paid leave for maternity and another two months without pay.

The additional unpaid two months must be approved separately by the management. Under the law, women employees may take advantage of the new maternity leave five times during their service period.

The government had increased maternity leave for civil servants in the draft law from 45 paid days to two months' paid and one month without pay. After a heated debate and seeing no conclusion, the Speaker gave the members two choices: the government proposal, or the draft with the committee's amendments.

Twenty-eight of the 39 members present voted for the committee amendments, rejecting the government's version. Earlier, some members suggested a third option - paid maternity leave for two months and another month without pay. However, the majority rejected it.

It is not clear whether the FNC's proiposed law will be accepted by the Supreme Council.
The law, originally drafted in 1998 by the government, was sent to the FNC in 1999 for recommendations and approval. It has been pending since then.

In the initial stage, the council proposed extended paid leave of one year - 180 days at full pay and 180 days at half pay. But this was rejected by the Supreme Council and the government and the house committee was asked to reconsider.

Kharbash said he feared that lengthy leave would reduce job opportunities for women.
"Giving long maternity leave will make the private sector cautious about appointing women because they cannot afford to compete with the public sector. This will narrow job opportunities for women in general.

"The number of UAE nationals seeking jobs in the private and public sectors is also increasing, with 700 to 1,100 students graduating every year." There was also an average increase of nine per cent in the number of women staff in all ministries, according to the government and the committee report.

There are 22,450 employees in ministries (excluding Interior Ministry), which include 8,994 married and 7,245 unmarried women. The number of women civil servants in other federal authorities is 6,050, according to ministry figures. In the next five years, the number of women civil servants is expected to rise to 25,000.