'Support leave' idea floated as talks open on work-life balance reform

The process to strengthen maternity, paternity and parental leave - as well as remote working arrangements - was launched as part of a broader reform initiative to address work-life balance.

“We are committed to strengthening maternity, paternity and parental leave and to introducing remote working in those sectors that allow it, so long as this does not impact productivity,” Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue and Accommodation Andy Ellul said, adding that the conversation on remote working will include the right to disconnect.

“Here we are talking about the lives of people. Their work life, raising children  - topics that have been linked to our low birth rate - and about the opportunity to work from home and use free time as we please. We are talking about a shift in workplace culture,” said Ellul.

He announced the reform during an information-gathering event,  that kick-started the national debate and brought together parents, grandparents, employers, academics, unions, NGOs, government entities and policymakers, among others.

As he called for a mature discussion, he questioned whether it was time to consider including all these types of leave under one umbrella what would centre around the concept of support leave.

He said the initiative forms part of a wider effort to strengthen work-life balance by addressing long-standing issues related to maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave and remote working. He added that this also followed the reform of other forms of leave that included miscarriage leave and bereavement leave that came into force this year.

The national conference marked the beginning of the consultation phase, aimed at gathering feedback ahead of drafting a policy document that will later be released for public consultation.

Ellul also announced the establishment of a technical committee made up of representatives from different sectors of society to collect information and draw up recommendations for the government.

Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue Andy Ellul calls for a shift in work-place culture.

What leave are parents currently entitled to?

Maternity leave entitlement in Malta is below the EU average of 23.5 weeks. In Malta, new mothers are entitled to 18 weeks of maternity leave: fully paid up to the 14th week and remunerated at a lower rate for the remaining four weeks.

Since 2022, fathers have been granted 10 days of paid paternity leave ‒ up from one day ‒ though uptake remains low. After the maternity and paternity leave period, both parents are entitled to four months of parental leave, of which two months are paid at sick pay level while the rest are unpaid. 

Parental leave that can be staggered until the child turns eight is granted at the discretion of employers and may be refused for a justifiable reason on their part. Workers in the public sector enjoy longer parental leave of 12 months.

What are the suggestions for change? 

Last week, Times of Malta reported that first-time mother Christabel Vella launched a petition calling on the government to extend paid maternity leave “so that one parent can remain at home with their child until the age of two”

The issue of extending maternity leave resurfaces periodically. Malta has the lowest fertility rate in the European Union, figures that have raised concerns among politicians from both sides of the House. Proposals for significant extensions to existing leave entitlements have been put forward.

The Nationalist Party is pushing for a full year of paid leave for new parents, combining existing maternity and parental entitlements. Labour MPs, including Ramona Attard, have joined calls for a national discussion on longer maternity leave.

The Malta Chamber warned that more family leave might not necessarily raise birth rates but could negatively impact the productivity of Maltese businesses.

A Malta Women’s lobby highlighted how a 2024 study commissioned by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality confirmed a stronger demand for longer maternity and paternity leave. The study also highlights that 89% of men aged 18-39 believe the current parental leave compensation is “inadequate”.

The lobby insisted that family leave reform be addressed and treated as a national priority. Parental leave was also explored in the 2024 study where results showed that while 66.9% of men know that both parents have access to parental leave, just over half of the female informants (52.7%) were aware that this family leave is available to both partners.It noted that having a well-paid parental leave is fundamental for reducing the caring gaps between the parents.

The same study also showed that, while just under 47% of women said they performed most of the childcare duties, just 1% of men reported taking on the primary role.