On 27 December 2019, the SAR Government published the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2019 in the Gazette. The Bill seeks to increase the statutory maternity leave under the Employment Ordinance (EO) (Cap. 57) from the current 10 weeks to 14 weeks. Following the gazettal, the Government plans to introduce the Bill into the Legislative Council on 8 January 2020.

The EOC welcomes the gazettal of the Bill, and hopes that it will be passed by the Legislative Council soon. The EOC believes that the long overdue extension will help enhance the mental and physical health of new mothers, many of whom need to juggle parental responsibilities and professional duties. It will also give mothers more time to transition to their parental role, and then back to the workplace. Indeed, the EOC has been calling for greater support for new mothers. Under the Discrimination Law Review, the EOC has specifically recommended the Government to introduce a statutory right for women to return to their previous role after maternity leave, or if that position no longer exists, a suitable alternative position on similar terms and conditions.

• Read the press release on the gazettal of the Bill
• More on the Discrimination Law Review