Committee Approves Amendment to Extend Childcare Free-Time Allowance for Civil Servants

The National Development and Heritage Committee has approved an amendment to the Employment Act to extend the daily free-time allowance granted to civil servants who are parents of newborns.

The amendment was proposed by People’s National Congress (PNC) MP for Madaveli, Mohamed Shameez. It seeks to allow government employees to take 30 minutes of paid free time twice a day for a period of two years after returning from maternity leave.

Under the existing law, parents are entitled to the same allowance only until the child reaches one year of age. The proposed amendment would extend this period to two years, effectively doubling the duration of the benefit.

According to the bill, the free-time allowance is intended to support parents in attending to childcare needs without any deduction from their salary.

Members of the National Development and Heritage Committee approved the amendment unanimously during a meeting held last Thursday. The bill will now proceed to the next stage of the legislative process in parliament.