Summary.
The bill proposes to amend Articles 1 and 3 of Law 27 of May 23, 2017, which establishes paternity leave for private sector workers and public servants in Panama. Its stated purpose is to extend the leave, remove the mother's pregnancy as an eligibility condition, and provide for state funding. Article 1 connects these changes to children's overall development and identifies the provisions of the existing law that the bill would amend.
Article 2 proposes new wording for Article 1 of that law. It grants paid paternity leave, upon the birth of a son or daughter, to a private sector worker or public servant who is the newborn child's father. To qualify, the father must live with the mother in a relationship characterized by exclusivity and stability. The provision makes the birth the point at which the leave is granted and sets out conditions concerning paternity and cohabitation with the mother. The proposed wording does not include the mother's pregnancy among those conditions.
Article 3 proposes to replace Article 3 of the same law and set the leave at 11 working days. Those days would count as effective service for the beneficiary. During the leave, the worker or public servant could not perform work for another employer or on their own account. The bill provides that the State of the Republic of Panama would pay for the leave while the beneficiary is absent from work, so that the payment would impose no additional burden on private companies. The restriction on work during the leave covers both work performed for another employer and independent work.
Article 4 expressly identifies Articles 1 and 3 of Law 27 of May 23, 2017, as the provisions amended by the bill. Article 5 provides that the proposed law would take effect on the day following its promulgation. Taken together, the amendments address eligibility for leave, its length, the treatment of the period as effective service, the restriction on other work, and the public entity responsible for its payment.
The content assigns the proposed payment to the State of the Republic of Panama and places the leave established by the cited law in Panama. Its provisions could concern or affect public servants, private sector workers and employers, fathers of newborn children, and their families.
What it proposes.
- Paid paternity leave.
- Eligibility conditions and length of leave.
- Service credit, work during leave, and state payment.
Who it would affect.
- Private sector workers who are fathers of newborn children.
- Public servants who are fathers of newborn children.
- Private sector employers.
- The State of the Republic of Panama.
Key points.
- Proposes to amend Articles 1 and 3 of the paternity leave law to extend leave, remove the mother's pregnancy as an eligibility condition, and establish state funding.Art. 1
- Grants paid leave to a father employed in the private sector or public service who lives with the mother in a relationship characterized by exclusivity and stability.Art. 2
- Provides for the leave to be taken upon the birth of the son or daughter.Art. 2
- Sets the leave at 11 working days and counts them as effective service.Art. 3
- Bars the beneficiary from working for another employer or on their own account during the leave.Art. 3
- Assigns payment for the leave to the State of the Republic of Panama, without an additional burden on private companies.Art. 3
- Identifies Articles 1 and 3 of the existing law as the provisions being amended.Art. 4
- Provides that the proposed law would take effect on the day following its promulgation.Art. 5