MATERNITY LEAVE

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33479, 9 March 1974, Page 6

MATERNITY LEAVE

The National Organisation for Women is disturbed that the Department of Education has reduced maternity leave for its employees from 12 weeks to six, says the president (Mrs Joan Rotherham).

“We think this is a back-, j ward step in the light ofj j current social attitudes,”] [Mrs Rotherham says m aj press statement. “The Royal; Commission on the Status of I Women in Canada has! recommended that women be allowed 18 weeks maternity leave without loss of their jobs.” Even developing countries were recognising this need and moving towards it, she says, Malaysian women are now allowed 12 weeks maternity leave. “N.O.W. is angry at the way in which the department has acted, in that it did not confer with the Primary Teachers’ Institute jon the proposed alteration but merely informed the in- ■ stitute that there was to be | ‘a change’ in maternity leave ■ provisions. “Although women teachers [have been allowed 12 weeks paid maternity leave since '1954. the department has

stipulated that all women] who apply for maternity! leave after April 1. 1974,! Will receive only six weeks 1 paid leave. “The department hast stated that it has made this, move because it does not! wish to encourage women to 1 return to teaching, as there■ are too many teachers rn New Zealand. This statement 1 has greatly surprised teachers in N.0.W., who maintain, that their classes are f~. too; large and that -the employ-; ment of more teachers; would alleviate this prob-i lem,” Mrs Rotherham says. '