The Government of Rwanda has approved a draft law on maternity protection that grants mothers their full (100%) remuneration while on a 12-week maternity leave. The previous law only gave to mothers right to their full salary during the first half of their maternity leave, while in the second half; they were required to surrender 80% of their salary or return to work.
The bill received green light in a Cabinet Meeting held on 20th March 2015. The draft law will now go to parliament for further scrutiny.
Commenting on the resolution, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Claver Gatete said that the law on maternity leave insurance reinforces Government’s efforts in social development, and comes as a huge release to mothers serving in different capacities in public or private sectors.
“The Cabinet Meeting has adopted the law on maternity leave insurance. The Maternity Leave Benefits Scheme comes in to ensure that mothers on Maternity Leave receive their entire salaries. It allows mothers to stay home longer to attend to their newborn babies.”
Minister Gatete further stressed that the Government will collaborate with parliament to ensure the adoption of the bill in due time.“In order for employers to prepare in advance, we plan that the law will have been promulgated in July this year.”
With the new law, the employer will pay half the salary while the fund covers the remaining half. This means that companies or state agencies will carry 50% (0.3%) of the cost. Every employee, either private or public, will surrender 0.6% of their salary to contribute to a mother’s pay on maternity leave.
Once the Maternity Leave Benefits Scheme bill is passed, mothers on maternity leave will receive their full salary for the first six weeks of the maternity leave, while the last six weeks of the leave will be remunerated – in full salary – by the insurance scheme. Salaries will be deducted by the employer through the existing Social Security Fund (RSSB), regardless of the type of contract or size of the salary.
UM– USEKE.RW
