Employers 'frustrated' at rushed launch of disability, maternity leave laws

Employers are “frustrated” at how the government is launching budget measures without concern for their implementation.

The Malta Employers’ Association said in a statement that the recent enforcement of a law that requires disabled people to make up 2% of the workforce of all companies employing over 20 people is “fraught with legal loopholes”, the Malta Employers’ Association have warned.

“The loopholes make adherence and enforcement impossible, as there are still a lot of unanswered questions,” the MEA said.

The association also questioned the structure of the recently launched maternity leave fund, to which all employers will have to contribute.

“Although many employers have agreed in principle about the setting up of the fund to reimburse maternity leave payments, they are unable to make the necessary changes to their payroll systems to start making payments in August,” the MEA said. “Clearly companies need more time - at least an additional month - to adjust their payroll software. The legal notice should also have been issued before, or concurrently with the launch. To date this is still not
available.”

These problems, the MEA said, would have been avoided if the government had adequately consulted with employer bodies before launching these schemes.