Fathers may get six-day paternity leave in Tunisia

Manama: Tunisia's labour union is pushing for allowing public sector employees to take five-month maternity and six-day paternity leaves.

Under the proposal to be submitted to the government as part of collective bargaining, expecting mothers should be given one month before the due delivery date and two months off after giving birth regardless of whether the baby was alive or still born.

Mothers will also be given two extra months, although they would receive only half of their salaries.

Fathers will be given six days off instead of the existing one day following the birth of their baby, the labour union said.

Women make up around 38 per cent of the 450,000 Tunisians who work in the public sector.