Draft law: Women can have 2 paid maternity leaves, 3 unpaid leaves for 6 years during career in gov't sector

CAIRO – 19 August 2021: A new labor bill submitted by the government to the House of Representatives includes important guarantees and benefits in favor of women working in the government sector.

The chapter on women’s employment in the draft law includes the following:

- All provisions regulating employment shall be applied to working women without discrimination.

- A woman has the right to obtain a paid maternity leave for four months that she may begin before delivery, but it may not be shorter than 45 days after childbirth. She is entitled to this leave only twice during her professional career.

- The law prohibits the dismissal or termination of a woman during her maternity leave.

- A woman who returns from her maternity leaves is entitled to a nursing hour that she may take in full or in two parts in a day. This hour shall be deducted from her working hours and may not result in any reduction in her pay.

- A mother who works in a facility that employs more than 25 workers may obtain an unpaid leave for no longer than two years to care for her child. She may not enjoy this leave more than three times throughout her career.

- A woman may terminate the work contract because of marriage, pregnancy, or childbirth, provided that she informs her employers in writing three months ahead of her date of marriage, pregnancy, or delivery.

- An employer who hires women must hang a copy of the women’s employment system in the workplace.

- If an employer hires more than 100 women, he must establish a nursery or outsource a nursery to care for the children of the female employees under the terms and conditions determined by the competent minister.