President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified an amendment to the Employment Act requiring employers to grant employees daily free time to care for their children until the child turns two.
Under the previous law, female employees were entitled to two 30 minute breaks each day until their child reached the age of one. The amendment, passed on Sunday, extends this entitlement until the child turns two.
The bill was submitted to parliament by Madaveli MP Mohamed Shameez on behalf of the government.
The amendment also introduces several additional changes to employment regulations:
- Employees whose contracts are for less than one year must now be given two weeks’ notice before termination.
- Overtime must be carried out in accordance with the employee’s contract
- Cabinet has been granted authority to exempt certain businesses from expatriate quota fees when bringing in foreign workers.
The exemption aims to support small and medium enterprises, encourage new businesses and improve competitiveness.
. Public holiday: International Workers’ Day has been formally recognized as an official public holiday under the law.
President Muizzu ratified the bill and it has been published in the Government Gazette.
