The Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations is backing the employers’ call for the Government to fully pay maternity leave.

The confederation said obliging the private sector to shoulder “this extra financial burden” was costly to the employer. While insisting that the 13 weeks of maternity leave should be paid in full, it pointed out that the current system worked against women because employers “may be tempted” to hire a man over a woman.

It insisted paid maternity leave should be seen as an investment that brought about increased benefits and should be paid through public funds, like other EU countries.