Women in the last four weeks of their maternity leave will be paid the equivalent of a minimum wage by the state, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna announced in the Budget speech this evening. That would mean an increase of €6 weekly.

He said there would also be a drastic improvement in maternity leave for self-employed women, who would enjoy an increase of €73 per week to reach the minimum wage in the last weeks.  

He said the government would act to remove the reluctance employers currently had about employing young women because of their fears that they would have to partially pay for their maternity leave. To remedy that situation, the contribution made by employers for the payment of maternity leave would be worked out on the basis of all their employees, and not just the women. The contributions would go to a Maternity Leave Fund.

The minister also announced that adoptive parents would have a maternity leave equal to that of natural parents. 

As in previous years, people over 75 would be given a grant of €300 per year. Those in receipt of services pensions would also continue to see an improvement in their pensions. 

SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTIONS TOP UP

He also announced that workers whose social security contributions were not regular would be able to pay up for up five years of missing contributions.

Workers, in particular women, who were close to retirement but not eligible for a pension would be given a supplement of €100 if they paid five years of contributions. 

EARLY PENSION FOR CPD OFFICERS
He said members of the Civil Protection Department will be able to retire after 25 years, like the police and the members of the AFM.

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