This article is from page 18 of the 2006-05-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
QUERIES have been flying in to the Citizens Information Centre in Ennis concerning improved maternity leave conditions.
“We have been receiving quite a number of calls from around the county since March 1 in relation to the changes to the amount of time you can take for maternity leave,” said Paul Woulfe, manager of the centre.
Improved maternity leave provisions came into force on March 1, giving women 22 weeks’ maternity leave and 12 weeks’ additional unpaid leave.
There is still a lot of confusion in relation to the leave, Woulfe said.
“If you become pregnant while in employment, you are entitled to take a basic period of paid maternity leave followed by a further period of unpaid maternity leave,” he continued.
“The entitlement to maternity leave from employment extends to all female employees, including casual workers, regardless of how long you have been working for the organisation or the number of hours worked per week.”
At least two weeks of paid maternity leave have to be taken before the end of the week of your baby’s expected birth and at least four weeks after.
Women can decide how they would like to take the remaining weeks.
“Generally, employees take two weeks before the birth and the remaining weeks after,” Woulfe said.
Following the recent changes, women who start on paid maternity leave on or after March 1, 2006 are entitled to 22 weeks paid maternity leave.
Those who started on paid maternity leave before that date are only entitled to 18 weeks.
Those who start on the further period of unpaid maternity leave on or after March 1 are entitled to 12 weeks unpaid maternity leave.
Women who began unpaid maternity leave before that date are only entitled to eight weeks, the CIC boss explained.
Further increases are planned for next year when, from March 1, 2007, paid maternity leave increases to 26 weeks and unpaid maternity leave increases to 16 weeks.
Payment during paid maternity leave is normally provided through Maternity Benefit from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
The period for which the benefit is paid has also increased in line with the increase in paid maternity leave.
Ennis CIC located at Bindon Lane Bank Place offer a free and confidential advice Service on rights and entitlements and is open daily from 9.30am-5pm.
Telephone: 065 684 1221.