Self-employed women to get equal maternity rights

Self-employed women will gain the right to the same fully paid maternity leave as their employed counterparts in about two years' time, after an EU law was approved by all member states yesterday.

So far, all Maltese women who are their own bosses are not entitled to the same maternity benefits as employees. Instead, under Maltese law they are only entitled to a social security grant which amounts to about half the statutory minimum wage for 13 weeks. On the other hand, employees are entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave on a full wage basis.

This discrepancy will have to change because according to the new directive, approved by EU social security ministers, self-employed women will be put on a par with their employed colleagues.

The new law is expected to come into effect within two years. Member states will have to provide access to maternity leave to all self-employed females equivalent to that given to employees, although whether to take it up or not will remain voluntary.

At EU level, this is the first time that a maternity allowance has been granted to self-employed workers.

The directive will also grant new rights of social protection to assisting spouses and life partners as recognised by national law. They will also have the right to social security coverage, including pensions, on an equal basis as "formal" self-employed persons. According to the European Commission this will help provide a stronger social safety net to these persons.

EU studies show that around 11 per cent of self-employed workers in Europe rely on the help of spouses and partners who work on an informal basis in small family businesses. This is very common in Malta. These assisting spouses are traditionally completely dependent on their self-employed partner and are considered to be at high risk of poverty in the event of separation, their partner's death or bankruptcy.

Commenting on this agreement, EU Commissioner for Fundamental Rights Viviane Reding said the new law made real improvements to the rights of self-employed workers and their partners, in particular women.

"The law will help women better balance work and family life and encourage more women to become entrepreneurs."

According to EU statistics, only 30 per cent of the EU's self-employed are female.