Civil service bill: nine types of leave, menstrual leave for women employees

The Federal Civil Service Bill registered by the government in Parliament proposes granting menstrual leave to women employees.

Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration Pratibha Rawal registered the bill in the House of Representatives.

Section 125 of the bill states that employees will get nine types of leave. Currently employees receive eight types of leave, and the prevailing law does not provide for menstrual leave.

However, the bill does not specify how many days of menstrual leave will be allowed. Since the available version of the bill does not include a detailed list of the nine types of leave, details of the menstrual leave provision remain unclear.

According to Section 148, matters relating to paid and unpaid leave for employees will be specified through regulations.

Under current provisions, employees get 12 days of leave a year — six days of casual leave and six days of festival leave. Home leave is one month a year, and sick leave is 12 days.

Women get 98 days of maternity leave and can take up to six additional months of unpaid maternity leave if they wish. Men get 15 days of paternity care leave, and employees get 15 days of bereavement leave.

Under Section 126, if a spouse is posted to a diplomatic mission, the employee can take unpaid leave for up to five years.