SDG 5: Gender Equality
maternity and paternity policies that support women's participation
Female Employees
A female employee assigned to work a man’s job must be given equal compensation. Female employees have the same standard working hours as male employees but they are not allowed to work between 7pm to 6am. However female employees working for clinics, pharmacies, hotels, nursery schools, homes for the handicapped, airlines, tourist offices, theaters, and entertainment industries are allowed to work beyond the standard working hours. Female workers working in cooperative societies, public utilities, beauty salons, tailoring shops, banks and offices may work during night time but only until midnight. MSA&L may extend night-time working hours during Ramadan, on Eids, and public holidays. Transportation must be arranged by the employers for female employees working at night.
Maternity Leave
A pregnant woman is privileged to have a maximum of 30 days maternity leave before the date of delivery and 40 days after delivery. A pregnant woman can also be absent from work up to 100 days, consecutive or not, after the maternity leave but without pay. A medical certificate stating that the person is not yet fit to work needs to be presented as basis for the additional absences incurred after the maternity leave. This maternity leave will be forfeited on day-per-day basis until her annual leave are all taken.
An expecting mother is allowed to take a paid leave, lasting 70 days, provided, her due date for delivery falls within that period. New mothers can also apply for unpaid leave of upto four months. The law prohibits employers from terminating the contracts of female workers during this period, or if they are sick due to associated issues during delivery. Once the new mother gets back to work, she is granted 2 hours break from normal work hours to nurse her baby.
Kuwait Labor Law stipulates the privileges for working pregnant women. Did you know that expectant mothers in the state, both local and expatriate, who work in the private sector are granted a total of 70 days for maternity leave by law? Provided the woman gives birth within this period.
It states, "a pregnant woman is privileged to have a maxiumum of 30 days maternirty leave before the date of delivery and 40 days after delivery.
"A pregnant woman can also be absent from work up to 100 days, consecutive or not, after the maternity leave but without pay. A medical certificate stating that the person is not yet fit to work needs to be presented as basis for the additional absences incurred after the maternity leave. This maternity leave will be forfeited on day-per-day basis until her annual leave are all taken."
Employers should not terminate the service of a woman while she is on maternity leave or sick due to pregnancy or delivery, on the condition that she presents a medical report in this regard.
A pregnant working woman shall be entitled to a paid maternity leave of 70 days, not included in her other leaves, provided that she gives birth within this period.
After the end of the maternity leave, the employer may give the working woman, at her request, an unpaid leave for a period not exceeding four months to take care of the baby.
The employer may not terminate the services of a working woman while she is on such leave or during her absence from work because of a sickness that is proved by a medical certificate that states that the sickness resulted from pregnancy or giving birth.
AUM is a university that cares for the welfare of its students, which is why it creates various policies to protect and respect the rights of its students and the teaching and administrative staff working on campus. Among these policies is a maternity and paternity policy for its students and staff.
In this policy, AUM stipulates that pregnant women who are part of the administrative staff shall be entitled to a paid maternity leave of 70 days. In this policy, the employer may not terminate the services of a female employee while she is on maternity leave or during her absence from work due to an illness that is proven by a medical certificate indicating that the illness was the result of pregnancy or childbirth. Similarly, fathers who belong to the staff make take paternity leave.
Similarly, for AUM female students, maternity leave also consists of 70 days. For fathers, the student left will be three days.
Finally, during maternity and paternity leave, employees are entitled to receive half salary if she has been employed for at least one year and full salary if she has been employed for at least three years from the date of commencement of the leave. The company must pay medical expenses related to pregnancy and childbirth.
AUM is committed to providing accessible healthcare services to pregnant mothers and those who have recently given birth, entirely free of charge. Furthermore, the university extends this compassionate care to the children of both students and university staff, who will receive comprehensive medical attention in the AUM central clinic's maternity ward without incurring any fees. This commitment to free healthcare services for expectant mothers and children underscores AUM's dedication to the well-being and health of its community members, fostering an environment where individuals can focus on their studies or work with peace of mind.
At AUM, these health services for pregnant mothers or those who have already given birth are entirely free of charge. Likewise, care will be free of charge for the children of students or university staff, who will be attended in the maternity ward of the AUM central clinic.
Lactation room: There is a lactation room that is accessible if needed. The University also offers maternal insurance coverage as part of its insurance scheme.
