Many people favour extending maternity leave from four to six months, a proposal that has been submitted by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.
The workshop was organised yesterday by the ministry's Legislation Department to gather information from labourers, human resources officials and government representatives in southern provinces.

Ha Dinh Bon, the department's deputy head, said that extending maternity leave ensured breastfeeding for babies during the first six-month period.

He said Viet Nam implemented maternity leave for six months in 1985 for only one year at a time when the economy was not strong.

Now is the time to resume such a policy, even though there may be difficulties implementing it, he said.

He said a six-month leave would ultimately increase productivity and create a healthy population and workforce for the country.

The Government said it would amend legislation that would help ensure that the policy was implemented by companies.

Roger Mathisen, an UNICEF nutrition specialist, said that maternity protection for female workers contributed to the health and well-being of mothers and their babies.

It also would help to achieve Millennium Development Goals No 4 and 5 on reduction of child mortality and improvement of mothers' health adopted by the member states of the United Nations.

If mothers returned for work before the six-month period, it would be difficult to reach this goal, he added.

Pham Ba Son, who is in charge of personnel for Phu Viet Rubber Company, said that his company was ready to extend the period of maternity leave to six months if the State asked.

Most of his workers returned to the job, however, before the end of their maternity leave, he said, adding that breastfeeding was necessary during this time.

He said that the labour code should not allow an option for women to choose. In other words, they should take the entire maternity leave.

Son said the code should also have clearer regulations on the specific period of time the woman can take off work before she gives birth.

Currently, pregnant women can take off a total of four months, either before or after the birth.

Other representatives of labour, invalids and social affairs departments proposed that companies pay social insurance on the total salary of each employee, not just their base salary. Some employees, for example, get a base salary and other supplemental such as payment for overtime work.

If this was done, it would help increase payments to the social insurance fund and female employees would then feel assured that they could stay at home during six months of maternity leave with an adequate allowance.

VNS