China to enhance maternity benefits for women
November 23rd, 2011 - 12:59 pm ICT by IANSBeijing, Nov 23 (IANS) Women workers in China are likely to get better maternity benefits following new regulations being contemplated in the country.
Under the new regulations, women will get longer maternity leave from work before and after childbirth, besides being barred from doing certain hazardous jobs, the China Daily reported. They will get prolonged maternity leave from the current 90 to 98 days.
The draft regulations, which the State Council’s Legislative Affairs Office has posted on its website, would replace the existing provision which came into effect in 1988. Other benefits include at least two-week leave for women suffering a miscarriage (or having an abortion) if she has been pregnant for less than four months.
The draft suggests that employers allow women with infants less than a year old at least an hour a day for breast-feeding. Employers will be asked not to extend the work hours or put women on night duty during their breast-feeding period.
The new rules also stipulate that medical fees incurred during childbirth or miscarriage would be covered by the maternity insurance fund. In cases of employers not buying maternity insurance for workers, they will have to pay the medical fees.
Women will not be allowed to work in underground mines and they will not be given a job that requires them to bear a heavier than 20-kg load more than six times in an hour.
Pregnant women will be exempt from working in the vicinity of excessively hazardous chemicals. They will also be barred from performing tasks that require them to frequently bow or squat.
There are about 137 million women employees in China.
- Nursing mothers more aggressive in defending babies - Sep 01, 2011
- Why no social security for unorganised workers, NAC asks government - Apr 30, 2012
- World Health Organization calls on health facilities to implement steps to help mothers breastfeed - Jul 30, 2010
- Working fathers in Spain entitled to "breastfeeding leave" - Oct 01, 2010
- Women fearing childbirth have longer labour - Jun 27, 2012
- National Advisory Council reviews its progress - Jul 06, 2012
- Women unaware of breastfeeding norms in China - Aug 08, 2010
- Flexi HR policies make working attractive for women (March 8 is International Women's Day) - Mar 07, 2011
- Breast pumps, lactation supplies are now tax deductible in US - Feb 11, 2011
- Breastfeeding moms not considered for jobs - Apr 17, 2011
- Breastfeeding linked to stronger maternal response to infant's cry - Apr 21, 2011
- Tripura employees to get paid paternity leave - Jun 05, 2012
- Women sue Virgin Airlines after firm sacks them over pregnancy - Feb 23, 2011
- Women rate control over work hours higher than maternity leave: Oz study - Jul 15, 2010
- Chinese women unaware of breastfeeding norms - Aug 07, 2010
Tags: beijing, breast feeding, childbirth, china daily, draft regulations, four months, having an abortion, hazardous chemicals, hazardous jobs, insurance fund, legislative affairs office, maternity benefits, maternity insurance, medical fees, pregnant women, six times, underground mines, vicinity, which came into effect, women workers