On Thursday evening, the Sejm dealt with the government project extending maternity leave for parents of premature babies. – I urge all MPs in this room to support good law – said Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy.
Late on Thursday evening, the Sejm began work on the government's draft amendment to the Labor Code with its first reading. The regulation introduces additional leave for parents of prematurely born children and those hospitalized after birth.
– It's really very rare that we in this chamber have the opportunity to work on a bill whose validity raises no, but no, doubts. For whom support is possible beyond all political divisions. This is the project we are considering today, said the Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk.
She emphasized that the project was prepared together with the social side, i.e. with organizations associating parents of premature babies. The head of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy pointed out that currently parents of prematurely born children have the same rights as those whose children were born on time (after the 37th week of pregnancy).
As the minister noted, “however, it is difficult to call a holiday when a parent cannot even hug his or her child.” – I urge all MPs in this room, from left to right, to support this good law. Let's show that a strong state is a caring, sensitive and caring state, she added.
What the project assumes
The MRPiPS project assumes that for parents of children born before the 28th week of pregnancy or those who weighed less than 1,000 grams on the day of birth, additional maternity leave will amount to a maximum of 15 weeks. However, for parents of children born before the 36th week of pregnancy or born at term but requiring hospitalization – a maximum of eight weeks.
Main photo source: sejm.gov.pl