Transcript Document

Conference: Health and Society
3-5 of April 2009
University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
Working environment for new mothers in Cyprus:
the law on maternity leave and
prospects for improvement
Haritini Tsangari
University of Nicosia
Outline
 Introduction and aims of the study
 Methodology and Sampling
 Data analysis and results
 Conclusions
Acknowledgement: Stephania Pantzi, MBA,
for her research assistance
Introduction and Aims of the Study
 Women in Cyprus are increasingly joining
the workforce in the last few decades.
 How far can they go, in their multiple roles
as employees, mothers and wives?
Introduction and Aims of the Study
• Maternity leave takers are worried about how to
convince their peers and employers that they will
return to work after giving birth and that their
productivity will be the same as before their
pregnancy
– Miller et al (1996)
• Work-family conflict: when no support between
spouses, no flexible work schedules and no daycare facilities
– Kim & Ling (2001)
• Schedule conflict: Women have to tackle tasks
beyond their workplace
– Pleck, et al. (1980)
Introduction and Aims of the Study
 Length of Maternity Leave Connected to
Wages?
– Greenstein (1999), Werbel (1998) Vs Lyness et al (1999),
Klerman & Leibowitz (1994)
• Organizational Commitment and length of
maternity leave related to Employer’s
Support?
– Lyness et al (1992)
• Is the working environment suitable for
young mothers in Cyprus?
The Maternity Law in Cyprus
UNTIL JULY 2007:
16 weeks Maternity Leave:
2 weeks must be before labor (which may be
extended to a maximum of 6 weeks)
one week when labor takes place and
6 weeks after labor
OR: a minimum of 9 compulsory weeks maternity leave.
• 6 months of one hour flexibility
July 2007 Amendment of the Law
– 18 weeks Maternity Leave
– 9 months of one hour flexibility
The Maternity Law in Cyprus
Basic allowance:
75% of monthly wages (of previous year)
paid by Ministry of Labor and Social
Insurance
– Banking/ Government: 12 weeks of 100%
wages
If an employer is found guilty of violating
provisions regarding maternity rights, then the
employer is liable to a fine.
Methodology and Sample
• Population of study:
– Women who had given birth in the previous
three years
– Were employed while pregnant
– Returned to work after maternity leave
• Methodology
Random stratified & Snowball Sampling
Primary data from Questionnaire
SPSS for data analysis
Demographics
FINAL SAMPLE SIZE
54 Women
40% 20-29
60% 30-39
98% Married / Cohabiting
2% Divorced
Private Sector 41% (39% after)
Banking 19%
Government 35% (37% after) Semi Government 6%
11% under 850 euros
20% 851-1200 euros
25% 1201-1500 euros
44%over 1500 euros
(monthly wages)
One child 52%
Two Children 35%
Three Children 13%
Results: Maternity Law
• Do you know the Maternity Law?
– 83% “Yes”
• 76% know they have maternity policy at place of
employment
• 62.5% have been officially informed of this policy
• Health Insurance covers pregnancy &
motherhood
– 45% Yes
– 37% No
– 18% Do not Know
Results: maternity leave
• Most women take all the paid maternity
leave weeks they are entitled to.
• Extension of leave for ⅓ of respondents
– 53% not paid during extension period:
More important to be with child than receive
monthly wages.
Results: Income &maternity leave
• Lower wages  fewer weeks before labor
(F=3.112, p-value=0.035)
• Higher wages  fewer weeks after labor
(return to work earlier) (F=5.041, p-value=0.004)
-Greenstein, 1989; Werbel, 1998
Career-oriented?
More responsibilities?
• Employer’s reaction to
pregnancy
announcement (mean 4.1)
The Employer
60
Negative Reaction 
Longer Maternity Leave
50
49
40
(F=3.957, p-value=0.026)
25
20
Percent
• Lyness et al (1999):
Women who perceived
more supportive workfamily cultures planned
to return more quickly.
30
22
10
0
VERY NEGATIVE
NEUTRAL
NEGATIVE
1=Very Negative, 5=Very Positive
VERY POSITIVE
POSITIVE
Working conditions during pregnancy
• Change of Tasks during pregnancy
– Yes 13% No 87%
• Job security fear due to pregnancy
– Yes 17%
No 83%
– Banking/ Government employees 10-21%
“afraid”
• Trouble carrying out job tasks while pregnant
– Yes 48%
No 58%
– Six weeks before labor not used.
• Pressure to keep on working or want to
spend more time with child after they give
labor?
Working conditions after labor
• Transition from home to work.
– Very Easy / Easy 75%
• Responsibility / Task Change
– No: 70%
Yes: 30%  17% Not requested
Working environment for new mothers
• Special arrangements for mothers
– 63%: Nothing.
37%, Yes:
1)Leave work if child is ill:
50%
• Private Sector employees can leave more easily
• Law regulates working relations in Government
2) Flexible Time Schedule
24%
• Obligatory by law one hour flexibility
No kind of child care at workplace 100%
• Is your work environment suitable for mothers?
– Yes 69%
No 9%
I don’t know 22%
The Needs of Working Mothers
• More Flexible Time during Breastfeeding Period
– Very Important/Important for 62%
• On-site Childcare Facilities
– Very Important/Important for 57%
• Refrigerator at the Workplace for Milk
– Important/ Very important for 38%
– Not important/ A little important for 48%
• Working from Home when the child is ill
– Not Important for 28.3%
Very Important for 26.4%
• Gradual Return to Full Duties
– Not important / A Little Important for 58%
Unpaid Parental Leave
Each parent entitled for up to 13 weeks in total
(1-4weeks per year) until child becomes
6 years old
• Majority unaware of the Provision (66%)
– 83% had stated they know the law
• 76.9% would accept more unpaid leave
– No task change for these respondents (x2=5.288 and pvalue=0.021)
–
–
–
–
Took more time before labor (t=2.495, p-value=0.016)
Took more maternity leave in total (t=2.253, p-value=0.030)
Took fewer weeks of paid maternity leave (t=-2.822, p-value=0.008)
No connection to Wages, Sector, Number of Children
Paternity Leave:
Men and parenthood, from
the woman’s point of view
– 42.6% believe he would stay at home and take care of child
if paternity leave was paid.
• Definitely Not 23%
– Only 4% believe so if it was unpaid
• Definitely Not accept unpaid paternity leave: 71%
Natural: 1) usually men receive higher wages, 2) upbringing of children
traditionally considered a woman’s job.
Lowest take up rates of parental leave: Cyprus, Greece, Ireland,
Portugal, UK (unpaid)
Highest rates of parental leave: Denmark, Sweden, Finland (effort to make
it easy for women to combine work and family, and to get men closely involved
with child-raising.)
Future Research
• The husband’s/partner’s point of view
• The Employer’s point of view
Conclusion
• Women not aware of their rights (knowledge of the
Law and its provisions)
• Majority prefers being with newborn than being safer
financially (accept more unpaid leave)
• Working environment not suitable for new mothers
(minimum of arrangements and facilities)
A work environment supportive of family life
influences a woman’s commitment to the workplace
more positively.
• Employers and Government to assist by providing
motives (flexible schedule, public transportation, onsite child-care, convenient school hours).
• Ensure that they support work-family balance.
Thank you!
Haritini Tsangari
[email protected]