Tuesday 07 / May / 2024
Muscat: In a step towards making better work cultures, more organisations are increasing their secondary caregiver parental leave.
Under the new laws, male employees are now entitled to seven calendar days of employer-paid paternity leave which may be taken upon the live birth of a child.
Oman Cables Industry (OCI), the a leading cable solutions provider in Oman, announced the introduction of a new parental policy.
The comprehensive policy outlines the company’s commitment to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion addresses global natality concerns, enhances employer branding, and reinforces employee retention.
With this policy the company introduces significant enhancements to OCI’s parental leave policies, reinforcing its commitment to employee well-being and work-life balance, extending the fully paid maternity coverage period for mothers from 12 to 16 weeks at full salary. Fathers will benefit from expanded paternity leave, now set at a minimum of two weeks (10 working days) at full salary, from the previous three days, which surpasses the Oman Labour Law regulation of seven calendar days.
Recognising the unique challenges of welcoming a new addition to the family, OCI has also introduced a “baby bonus” from January 1, 2024.
This dedicated amount, set at OMR900, provides crucial financial support to employees, demonstrating the company’s commitment to creating a family-friendly and supportive workplace environment.
Cinzia Farisè, CEO of Oman Cables, said: “Our new parental policy is in harmony with OCI’s social ambition, providing concrete help to those wanting to become and supporting parenthood as a special time to be embraced.
We take pride in reinforcing our efforts towards diversity, equity and inclusion, while fostering a positive journey into parenthood for all our employees.”
OCI has also enforced its “Leave and Back to Work Programme,” a comprehensive support initiative for mothers. This programme, starting as they approach parental leave and extending into their initial months back at work, features a “Stay in Contact” plan agreed upon with managers before the leave period. Upon returning, the programme which includes training and counselling, can be activated. The new policy highlights the importance of regular communication among new mothers, and managers, ensuring ongoing feedback and a smooth transition.
The company’s commitment to supporting new parents is expected to positively impact employee morale, well-being, and overall job satisfaction. OCI Group invites the entire industry to follow its lead in prioritising the needs of working parents, setting a benchmark for corporate responsibility and employee-centric policies.
Another private firm, which refused to be named, said that they are offering 10 days of parental leave from this year. “It is encouraging to see many large employers offering enhanced parental leave schemes to support women and encourage men to take up parental leave. This will not only have a positive impact on gender equality and pay equity at work, but also supporting equality at home and in childcare too,” the CEO of the company said.
