An amendment to the Employment Act has been proposed to extend the period during which employees are entitled to daily childcare breaks following maternity leave.
Under the current law, employees are entitled to two 30-minute breaks per day to care for their child until the child reaches one year of age.
The proposed amendment, submitted by Madaveli MP Mohamed Shameez on behalf of the government, would extend this entitlement until the child turns two.
The bill also proposes changes to notice periods required before dismissal. At present, employees who have worked between six months and one year are entitled to two weeks’ notice. The amendment would standardize the requirement to at least two weeks’ notice for any employee who has served less than one year.
However, the bill allows both parties to agree to a shorter or longer notice period.
In addition, the proposed amendment would grant the cabinet the authority to exempt certain categories of businesses from paying quota fees. According to the bill, such exemptions may be introduced to promote small and medium-sized enterprises, support new businesses and enhance competitiveness.
