MALE, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The Maldivian parliament has passed an amendment to the Employment Act extending childcare breaks for working mothers until their children reach 2 years old, state media PSM News reported on Monday.
The amendment won unanimous approval, with all 62 lawmakers present voting in favor.
Under the previous law, employees were entitled to two 30-minute breaks per day during working hours, without salary deduction, to care for their child until the child turned 1 year old. The amendment extends that entitlement by an additional year.
Employees in the Maldives already receive a one-hour break during the workday, and childcare breaks are granted in addition to that existing entitlement, according to the report.
The amendment also changes dismissal notice rules. Under the new provision, employees who have worked for up to one year must receive two weeks' notice before termination. Previously, the two-week notice period applied only to employees who had worked between six months and one year.
The revised law further authorizes the cabinet to grant exemptions from quota fees for hiring foreign workers in certain businesses, a measure aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and newly established businesses. ■
