Island Aviation extends paid maternity leave to 6 months

Island Aviation - which runs the national airline Maldivian, has extended its paid maternity leave to six months and its paid paternity leave to one month.

The announcement was made by the Deputy Managing Director of Island Aviation, Aishath Jennifer, during the staff night held by the company to celebrate its 19th anniversary last Friday night.

Jennifer announced the extension took effect last Friday.

Happening now #19Years Staff Night. Our DMD just announced that, effective from tonight we are happy to announce 6 months maternity & 1 month paternity leave for our staff. pic.twitter.com/ddBXuyBVpY

— Maldivian (@MaldivianAero) April 19, 2019

Island Aviation’s new maternity and paternity leave policy falls in line with the new civil service policy which took effect on March 8.

Granting six months of paid maternity leave to civil servants was one of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s electoral pledges, something which he also urged state companies and private sector businesses to follow.

Multiple State companies have obliged by adopting the new policy.

Civil servants were previously granted only two months of paid maternity leave and three days of paid paternity leave.