Maternity and Paternity Policies: Balancing Academic and Parenthood for the Walailak Community
The lack of paid maternity and paternity policies can negatively affect the health and well-being of pregnant women, infants, and fatherhood. Walailak University realizes that maternity and paternity leaves are fundamental family-friendly rights that all employees should be provided. Thus, Walailak University has had its maternity and paternity policies to support women’s participation and allow a male staff member who is a father to be away from his job for the arrival of a child.
The maternity policy of Walailak University is titled “Walailak University Regulations on Maternity Leave, B.E. 2567 (2024)”. The regulations are detailed below:
- Both staff and temporary staff are entitled to a maximum of 60 days of paid maternity leave, to be taken before and after childbirth.
- Staff and temporary employees on maternity leave who have not yet given birth as scheduled may request to withdraw their maternity leave. To do so, they must obtain permission from their supervisors. The days they have already taken off will be counted as personal leave.”
- Staff and temporary employees who have already taken maternity leave and wish to extend their leave to care for their child may be granted up to 150 additional working days of unpaid personal leave.”
- For individuals who are permitted to take personal leave, with the exception of personal leave granted for the care of children, if they have commenced their leave but have not yet completed the full duration, and if there is an urgent need for their presence, the supervisor or authorized representative may request that they return to work.”
In 2024, Walailak University implemented a comprehensive paternity leave policy for both permanent and temporary employees, formalized in the Announcement of Walailak University on Paternity Leave and Leave for Professional Rehabilitation. This policy aims to provide vital support for employees, enabling them to effectively balance their professional duties with family commitments following the birth or adoption of a child. By offering paternity leave, the university acknowledges the importance of shared parental responsibilities and seeks to promote a healthy work-life balance, ensuring that employees can devote necessary time to their growing families while maintaining their professional roles.
The policy is detailed below:
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- The employees must notify their supervisors before leaving and send the paternity leave form within 90 days of the expected start date of the leave.
- The duration of leave is up to 15 days per period, with full salary and benefits during the leave.
- The granting of paternity leave and any exceptions or extensions to the policy must be approved by the university president or an individual designated by the president.
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Goal 5: Gender Equality
Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities