Maternity Paternity Policies

Kuwait Labor Law Private Sector Section 3

Female Employees

A female employee assigned to work a man’s job must be given equal compensation. Female employees have the same standard working hours as male employees but they are not allowed to work between 7pm to 6am. However female employees working for clinics, pharmacies, hotels, nursery schools, homes for the handicapped, airlines, tourist offices, theaters, and entertainment industries are allowed to work beyond the standard working hours. Female workers working in cooperative societies, public utilities, beauty salons, tailoring shops, banks and offices may work during night time but only until midnight. MSA&L may extend night-time working hours during Ramadan, on Eids, and public holidays. Transportation must be arranged by the employers for female employees working at night.

Maternity Leave

A pregnant woman is privileged to have a maximum of 30 days maternity leave before the date of delivery and 40 days after delivery. A pregnant woman can also be absent from work up to 100 days, consecutive or not, after the maternity leave but without pay. A medical certificate stating that the person is not yet fit to work needs to be presented as basis for the additional absences incurred after the maternity leave. This maternity leave will be forfeited on day-per-day basis until her annual leave are all taken.

Maternity Leave

An expecting mother is allowed to take a paid leave, lasting 70 days, provided, her due date for delivery falls within that period. New mothers can also apply for unpaid leave of upto four months. The law prohibits employers from terminating the contracts of female workers during this period, or if they are sick due to associated issues during delivery. Once the new mother gets back to work, she is granted 2 hours break from normal work hours to nurse her baby.

Employers who have 50 women or 200 men working in their establishments are required to set up a day care centre for children below four years of age.

Maternity Leave in Kuwait: A Guide.

Kuwait Labor Law stipulates the privileges for working pregnant women. Did you know that expectant mothers in the state, both local and expatriate, who work in the private sector are granted a total of 70 days for maternity leave by law? Provided the woman gives birth within this period.

It states, "a pregnant woman is privileged to have a maxiumum of 30 days maternirty leave before the date of delivery and 40 days after delivery.

"A pregnant woman can also be absent from work up to 100 days, consecutive or not, after the maternity leave but without pay. A medical certificate stating that the person is not yet fit to work needs to be presented as basis for the additional absences incurred after the maternity leave. This maternity leave will be forfeited on day-per-day basis until her annual leave are all taken."

Employers should not terminate the service of a woman while she is on maternity leave or sick due to pregnancy or delivery, on the condition that she presents a medical report in this regard.

Article (24)

A pregnant working woman shall be entitled to a paid maternity leave of 70 days, not included in her other leaves, provided that she gives birth within this period.

After the end of the maternity leave, the employer may give the working woman, at her request, an unpaid leave for a period not exceeding four months to take care of the baby.

The employer may not terminate the services of a working woman while she is on such leave or during her absence from work because of a sickness that is proved by a medical certificate that states that the sickness resulted from pregnancy or giving birth.