The new maternity benefits are intended especially for mothers who want to get back to work quickly after the birth of a child. After a six-month maternity leave, mothers will be able to work part-time for 30 hours a week while they will still be compensated for the difference in pay.
For six months after returning to work, they will be paid the difference between their wage at Vodafone and the financial support from the state for the first 16 weeks of maternity leave. Fathers will be provided up to 5 extra days off after the birth of their children.
Work-life balance
Many Vodafone subsidiaries have already been providing certain benefits to parents for a long time, these benefits will remain the same. The new global policy serves to establish a minimum level of support even in the countries with little or no legislative support for mothers. Vodafone is thus among the first employer in the world to introduce a compulsory minimum level of maternity benefits.
Women currently make up 35% of all employees of the Vodafone group, 21% of women are represented in its senior international leadership. The new policy should contribute to ensuring that women will not have to choose between child care and career. This should also gradually increase the number of women in leadership positions.
-kk-