The government today officially launched the maternity leave fund, which will see all employers contributing 0.3 per cent of the every employees basic pay.

Equal Opportunities Minister Helena Dalli said employers will no longer fund maternity leave, and the measure should reduce discrimination between the sexes.

She said the fund will help to both increase social justice and female employment.

Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said the burden of maternity leave is now being spread among all employers.

This now means that employers will carry the same "burden" regardless of whether they employ a male or female.

Should an employer fail to pay the due contributions, that employer will not be reimbursed for the payments they would have made.

Furthermore, employers will be subject to fines and penalties according to the Social Security Act.

The fund will only be financing the reimbursement of wages and salaries of those employees employed in the private sector.

A board composed of three employers' and one trade unions' representative, together with the permanent secretaries at the ministry of finance and the ministry responsible for industrial relations will be managing the fund.  

Photo by Jonathan Borg