The Nationalist Party (PN) filed a motion to amend Legal notice 201 of 2022 from the European directive on work-life balance. 

During a press conference, the spokesperson for the maritime sector and employment Ivan Castillo, the spokesperson for equality and children’s rights Graziella Attard Previ and Casa all recalled how during earlier this year the PN had proposed a number of measures in relation to this directive. 

The PN called out Prime Minister Robert Abela for carelessly implementing the minimum requirements of the measures right before the deadline. It is also said that some of the measures go against the spirit of the European Directive. 

The PN said that the government should be implementing measures that invest in families. 

The speakers spoke about the importance of the work-life balance directive because it prevents any economic inequality between the sexes and it promotes more independence. 

The PN’s proposed amendments are as follows:

•             Payment for parental and carer’s leave will be paid by the government with the normal work rate, not the sick leave rate.

•             Paternity leave will be increased from 10 days to 15 days as of 1 January 2024, with a full wage being paid by the government.

•             Parental leave will be paid with the normal work rate and it cannot be transferred.

•             The five-day carer’s leave must be paid at the normal work rate.

•             Anybody self-employed should also benefit from paternal, paternity and carer leave at the same rate as the employee.

•             The Law will be backdated and available for parents from 1 August 2019. 

The PN said that it released these amendments after a long consultation process with various stakeholders, social partners and civil societies. 

These include the chairpersons of the family and social affairs parliamentary committee, the Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of SMEs, the Voice of the Workers and the General Workers Union.