Paternity Leave
Paternity Leave
“Paternity leave” refers to a kind of special leave granted to employees for meeting their family need. (ref 1) It is a kind of parental leave that is for caring of newborns or newly adopted children (ref 15). In the society, people put more emphasis on creating a better work-life balance. Paternity Leave is one of the sources of creating work-life balance. According to the studies of the University Of Hong Kong Public Opinion Programme, it found that Paternity leave is one of the initiatives for improving work life balance (14.4%) (ref 13).
In recent decades, the amount of female workforce is increasing. From 1986 to 2011, the increase in the number of women in the labour force was 774 500 (or 78.5%)(ref 16). There is a switching trend of female and male roles in a traditional family, in which both genders can perform duties to raise their children, unlike in the old days when female took up this primary role. The issue of parental equality has arisen.
According to the International Labour Organisation, at least 49 countries in the world provide some form of paternity leave (ref 5). However, till now, Hong Kong has not yet legislated Paternity as a statutory benefit in private section. Many, including unions and interests group, have voiced the necessity of implementation of this family-friendly policy.
On 28 February 2014, the Hong Kong Government published the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2014 (the “Bill“) in the Gazette. The first week of bill was introduced into the Legislative Council on 26 March 2014. The Bill seeks to provide three days’ paid paternity leave (“Paternity Leave“) as a statutory benefit for working fathers under the Employment Ordinance(ref 17). To be entitled to paternity leave pay, new fathers would enjoy three days off on 80 per cent pay(ref 1).
Different stakeholders hold different points of view towards this benefits issue.
According to Stanley Lau, the Federation of Hong Kong Industries deputy chairman, this benefit
“Paternity leave” refers to a kind of special leave granted to employees for meeting their family need. (ref 1) It is a kind of parental leave that is for caring of newborns or newly adopted children (ref 15). In the society, people put more emphasis on creating a better work-life balance. Paternity Leave is one of the sources of creating work-life balance. According to the studies of the University Of Hong Kong Public Opinion Programme, it found that Paternity leave is one of the initiatives for improving work life balance (14.4%) (ref 13).
In recent decades, the amount of female workforce is increasing. From 1986 to 2011, the increase in the number of women in the labour force was 774 500 (or 78.5%)(ref 16). There is a switching trend of female and male roles in a traditional family, in which both genders can perform duties to raise their children, unlike in the old days when female took up this primary role. The issue of parental equality has arisen.
According to the International Labour Organisation, at least 49 countries in the world provide some form of paternity leave (ref 5). However, till now, Hong Kong has not yet legislated Paternity as a statutory benefit in private section. Many, including unions and interests group, have voiced the necessity of implementation of this family-friendly policy.
On 28 February 2014, the Hong Kong Government published the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2014 (the “Bill“) in the Gazette. The first week of bill was introduced into the Legislative Council on 26 March 2014. The Bill seeks to provide three days’ paid paternity leave (“Paternity Leave“) as a statutory benefit for working fathers under the Employment Ordinance(ref 17). To be entitled to paternity leave pay, new fathers would enjoy three days off on 80 per cent pay(ref 1).
Different stakeholders hold different points of view towards this benefits issue.
According to Stanley Lau, the Federation of Hong Kong Industries deputy chairman, this benefit