Families should receive a full year of paid leave, between maternity and parental leave, to support parents struggling to balance work and family obligations, the Nationalist Party has proposed.
The PN also recommended an extension of parental leave from eight to 28 weeks. This leave would be equally divided between both parents and made non-transferable to promote shared responsibility.
The proposals were announced on Friday after Times of Malta reported that fewer than 100 men had taken parental leave in the past nine years, compared to just under 4,500 women.
According to data from the Secretariat for Social Dialogue, between 2014 and 2023, a total of 87 fathers and 4,458 mothers took parental leave.
“Women still bear the majority of childcare responsibilities, while a very small proportion of men take on the primary responsibility for their children,” the statement read.
“Despite these clear challenges, the government has chosen to do the bare minimum in implementing EU directives on work-family balance, leaving families without real support.”
The party also suggests increasing paternity leave from 10 days to 15. Before 2022, fathers were only granted one day of paid paternity leave.
It also suggested an increase in maternity leave, from 18 to 24 weeks, with the last six weeks transferable to the other parent if they wish.
Leave to be fully funded by government
Among its proposals, the PN suggests that parental, paternity, and maternity leave should be fully funded by the government for all workers, including the self-employed.
“In the case of parental leave, payment will be up to the level of the average salary, which is significantly higher than the current sick leave rate,” the proposal read.
Self-employed workers will be granted the same rights as employed workers to ensure fair treatment across all types of work.
“The government will cover these costs to reduce the financial burden on employers and businesses.”
Other proposals included providing financial assistance for parents who choose to stay at home with their children during the second year after birth.
The party also suggests tax credits for private companies that implement remote working models to recognise the benefit of flexible work arrangements.
It also called for encouraging more businesses to adopt remote working and flexible work arrangements to improve productivity and employee well-being.
“These reforms are not just about individual families but Malta’s long-term stability and progress. Strong policies that ensure work-family balance led to higher participation in the workforce, increased productivity, and reduced absenteeism.”