IRR for new maternity leave law could be issued by May

LABOR SECRETARY Silvestre H. Bello III said that the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the newly enacted law that extends maternity leave may be issued by May.

The Department of Labor and Employment’s (DoLE) Mr. Bello told reporters that he is directing the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) Director Karina Perida-Trayvilla to help the Labor department draft the IRR in less than the prescribed days.

“In fact, I talked to (BWSC Director) Trayvilla if we can do it in 45 to 60 days,” he said.

Republic Act 11210 or the Expanded Maternity Leave (EML) Law was signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte last week. Section 19 requires the Civil Service Commission (CSC), DoLE, and the Social Security System (SSS) to issue the IRR within 60 days of its effectivity.

The law calls for the expansion of paid maternity leave, currently at 60 days for mothers who delivered naturally and 78 days for c-section deliveries, to a uniform 105 days. Mothers will also have the option to have an additional 30 days leave without pay.

Mr. Bello said that hearings for the drafting of the IRR will begin in early March. He added that he will meet with stakeholders from the government, labor, and management sectors.

“We will convene for the purpose of formulating the IRR… By early next month, we will convene,” Mr. Bello said.

He shrugged off concerns that the law will make women less employable. “(Employers) should have a positive position because this expanded maternity leave addresses the health of the employee. (There is just) initial resistance because it’s something new,” he said. —