One of the bills I heard in the news that was passed by the Kenyan parliament this week, is Employment bill 2007, which amongst other issues entitles women to three months leave plus one month annual leave, instead of two months leave as it used to be. That means four months maternity leave in total. Many employers especially those in the private sector feel uncomfortable with married women when it comes to maternity leave. They only allow two months leave, one month is maternity the other one annual leave. Some employers even give less deducting the days an employee has taken offs from the leave.
Women who want more time to be with their babies and cannot get extra time from their employers decide to resign. It is only those with partners who can take care of them financially or those with other sources of income who can afford to resign. Women in public sectors enjoyed longer maternity leave without restrictions compared to those in private sector.
This bill has been long over due, it is good that the government brought this law to save women in private sector from abuse by mean employers, employers who behave like they do not have families. On the other hand I imagine some employers in the private sector will avoid employing married women because of this law, but my question is will they employ only men or men with single ladies only? How about the single ladies, won’t they get married or have their own kids?
4 comments:
It is not only married women who have children while in employment.
A wise employer would do well to embrace the concept of more time to take care of the future workforce.
True Prousette single ladies also have children. However some employers tend to avoid married women compared to single women with children.
Yes I agree with you a wise employer would not mind giving more time.
In this bill men also get 2 weeks parternity leave. That is good, I hope they will use the 2 weeks wisely to benefit the new born and mother instead of kuranda randa.
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