Taiwan increases maternity and paternity leave

The new policies will allow pregnant employees to take up to seven days of paid leave for prenatal health checks, up from the current five.

For married couples, male spouses of pregnant women are now entitled to seven instead of five days of paid paternity leave, which they can also use to accompany their wives on prenatal appointments, the MOL said.

The MOL said a government budget of NT$620 million (US$22 million) has been allocated for the expanded policy, which takes effect immediately and is expected to benefit 102,000 female and 119,000 male workers.

The new policy was implemented under the Act of Gender Equality, which was amended in the Legislature last month to boost parental perks.

Employers will need to pay for the additional two days of their workers’ parental leave and then apply to the Bureau of Labour Insurance for reimbursement.

READ: Taiwan increases paid leave for expectant mothers

In addition, the new rules will allow employees working at companies with fewer than 30 employees to request more flexible working hours, if they have children under the age of three years, the ministry said, according to Focus Taiwan.