Lawmakers approve more leave days for parents

Résumé détaillé

The Legislature passed amendments on Friday to the Gender Equality in Employment Act and the Employment Insurance Act, extending maternity leave from eight to 14 weeks, doubling paternity leave from seven to 14 days and expanding eligibility for unpaid parental leave.

Taipei, Nov. 13 (CNA) The Legislature passed amendments on Friday to the Gender Equality in Employment Act and the Employment Insurance Act, extending maternity leave from eight to 14 weeks, doubling paternity leave from seven to 14 days and expanding eligibility for unpaid parental leave.

The amendments allow employees to take unpaid parental leave until their child turns nine, rather than three.

Employees will also be allowed to take childcare leave to personally care for a child in cases involving illness; the suspension of daycare services or school classes; vaccinations, parenting activities organized by childcare centers, early childhood education and care institutions or schools; or other circumstances requiring parental care.

Such leave will be capped at 60 days per child and count toward the total period of unpaid parental leave.

The seven-day entitlement to leave to accompany a spouse to prenatal checkups remains unchanged. Paternity leave, which covers time off following childbirth, must be taken within 15 days of the birth.

Under the current Employment Insurance Act, employees taking unpaid parental leave are eligible to receive parental leave allowances for up to six months.

The amendments extend the maximum allowance period to nine months, if both parents have each received the full six-month allowance.

Under Taiwanese law, migrant workers are entitled to maternity leave, but live-in caregivers are not entitled to paid maternity leave.

Similarly, live-in caregivers may take unpaid parental leave but are not eligible for related allowances.

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