New Rules for Maternity Leave

More good news for mums to be though I guess not for all employers! There are plans afoot to update the existing maternity laws giving mums longer maternity leave which they can take before or after the baby is born with the guarantee of returning to the same or equivalent job.

Minimum maternity leave, according to plans by the EU's committee on Gender Equality, would increase from 14 to 18 weeks across the EU. Further, women would be paid 100% of their salary with self-employed women for the first time also benefitting from the same rights.

The new rules could be in place by 2011 if agreement is reached between member states and the European Parliament.