The three trustees representing the employer bodies will be agreed upon between the constituted bodies, the Finance Ministry has confirmed.
“It is up to the employer bodies to decide on how to nominate their representatives. The same applies to the trustee representing the unions. The government is not going to interfere with how these constituted bodies nominate their representatives,” a spokesman said.
There are four employers’ associations and four unions in the Malta Council for Social and Economic Development.
A recent legal notice was published on the setting up of a maternity fund, specifying the amounts that have to be paid by all employers, from which maternity leave will be paid.
Maternity fund will be administered by the board of trustees
The ministry said that the fund contribution will be paid by employers at the same time that the NI contribution is paid but it will be a totally separate contribution and the fund will be administered by the board of trustees.
The GRTU is concerned that employers will have to pay the maternity leave and then apply for a refund – saying its experience with refunds has been a nightmare. However, the ministry declined to comment on this.
“Once the board is set up, they will decide how best to affect reimbursement to the mother. Thus any questions are to be addressed to the board of trustees.”