Hassan Al -Sitry
The Parliamentary Services Committee approved the proposal of a law amending Article (32) of the Labor Law in the private sector issued by Law No. (36) for the year 2012, which includes increasing the days of the status leave for working women to (70) days instead of (60) days.
For its part, the Ministry of Labor clarified that the leave of the situation in the law in force was submitted after an integrated study in which all the health, family and societal dimensions of women, and that the extension of the leave, despite the fact that it carries positive dimensions on its face, but it contradicts the idea of operating women in itself and its equality with men, and sharing it in economic life.
She stated that the proposed amendment with the government trend to unify the privileges between the public and private sectors, as it wastes the efforts made by the ministry in order to employ Bahraini women and integrate them into the labor market, indicating that the increase in the period of the status leave for working women would violate the relationship between the worker and the employer regarding rights and duties.
The Ministry of Health indicated that the medical certificate related to the status leave is given to a pregnant woman according to her medical condition, and added that women working in the private sector are given a license for a period of (60) days, equality of women employed in the public sector.
The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry saw the lack of approval of the proposal by law; This is due to the negative effects of business owners, especially small and medium -sized companies, and the need to observe business owners in light of the current economic conditions, and not to negatively affect the sustainability of business and their competitiveness.
As for the Supreme Council for Women, it is stated that the implementation of the proposal of the Business Owners’ law may prompt the employment of women, hinder the integration of women in the labor market, and demanded that any law amend the law a full and careful study according to the general economic situation; This is to ensure that the principle of economic and social balance between workers and business owners is not prejudiced.
