Speech by the Chief Executive in delivering “The Chief Executive’s 2018 Policy Address” to the Legislative Council
- we propose to extend the statutory maternity leave from the current 10 weeks to 14 weeks, so that mothers will have more time to spend with and take care of their newborn babies. Employers may apply to the Government for reimbursement of the additional four weeks’ statutory maternity leave pay, which will be capped at $36,822. That is to say for employees with monthly income of $50,000 or below, the additional four weeks’ statutory maternity leave pay will be borne by the Government in full. To set an example of a good employer, the Government will extend the maternity leave for all female employees of the Government to 14 weeks with immediate effect. Officers whose actual or expected date of confinement falls on or after today will all benefit from this initiative;
- we will strengthen child care services provided by child care centres and home-based child carers and enhance the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project, so as to enable women with young children to take up or stay in employment;
- the Government will include in future sale conditions of land a requirement for the provision of babycare facilities and lactation rooms by developers to encourage and support breastfeeding. Such facilities will also be provided in new government premises;
