By Alimat Aliyeva
The Maldivian parliament has passed an amendment to the Employment Act that extends childcare breaks for working mothers until their children reach two years of age, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.
The amendment received unanimous support, with all 62 lawmakers present voting in favor, reflecting strong parliamentary backing for family-friendly labor policies.
Previously, employees were entitled to two 30-minute breaks per day during working hours, without salary deduction, to care for children up to one year old. The amendment adds an additional year, allowing working parents more time to balance childcare responsibilities alongside professional duties. Employees in the Maldives already receive a one-hour standard break, and these childcare breaks are provided on top of that entitlement, according to the report.
The legislation also reforms dismissal notice rules. Employees with up to one year of service are now entitled to two weeks’ notice before termination, expanding protection for early-career workers. Previously, this notice period applied only to those employed between six months and one year.
Additionally, the revised law empowers the cabinet to grant exemptions from quota fees for hiring foreign workers in certain sectors, a move designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and newly established businesses. Analysts suggest that these changes may boost workforce participation, especially among women, and help address labor shortages in key industries, while also positioning the Maldives as a more competitive environment for entrepreneurial ventures.
This amendment represents a significant step toward modernizing labor laws in the Maldives, aligning them with global standards for work-life balance and employee protection.
