5.6.9 Does your university as a body have a Paternity policy?
Al Maarefa University has a comprehensive paternity policy that supports male employees in balancing family responsibilities. In line with Saudi Arabia’s labor laws, male employees are entitled to paid paternity leave, ensuring they can be present during the birth of their child. The university encourages a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible working arrangements for new fathers. This policy reflects the university’s commitment to gender equity, ensuring that both male and female employees receive the support they need to fulfill their professional and personal responsibilities.
Father Paternity Leave
Under Saudi Arabia’s labor law, paternity leave is regulated by specific provisions to support fathers following the birth of their child. While Saudi labor law primarily focuses on maternity leave for women, Article 151 of the Saudi Labor Law grants male employees three days of paid paternity leave. This leave is to be taken immediately after the birth of a child and is designed to allow fathers to support their families during the initial period following birth.
This entitlement ensures that fathers can be involved in family care while maintaining their employment rights.
University of Almaarefa list of work organization
Paternity Holiday:
Three days off
Al Maarefa Leaves Policy
Labor education of major rights and duties In the Saudi Labor law
Labor Law
Article 152
During the maternity leave, an employer shall pay the female worker half her wage if
she has been in his service for one year or more, and a full wage if she has served for
three years or more as of the date of commencement of such leave. A female worker
shall not be paid any wages during her regular annual leave if she has enjoyed in the
same year a maternity leave with full wage. She shall be paid half her wage during the
annual leave if she has enjoyed in the same year a maternity leave at half wage.
Article 155
Article 155 An employer may not terminate the employment of a female worker or give her a warning of the same while on maternity leave.
Giving birth to a sick child
In the event of giving birth to a sick child or a person with a disability, whose his health condition requires continuous accompaniment, such a female worker shall be entitled to one-month leave fully paid starting after the end of the maternity leave period, and shall be entitled to extend the leave for one-month unpaid leave.
Medical Care for Pregnancy and Childbirth
1. The employer shall provide medical care to the working woman during pregnancy and childbirth.
2. When a working woman returns to her work after maternity leave, she shall have the right to take, with the intention of breastfeeding her newborn, a period or periods of rest that do not total more than one hour per day, in addition to the rest periods granted to all workers, and this period or periods shall be calculated from the actual working hours, and not It results in a wage reduction.
Promote equality between men and women in access to free on campus health services
Kingdom’s laws related to the health field ensure that women are entitled to have access to health care. There is no restriction on exercising this right. This right is also given to all women residing in the Kingdom through the cooperative health insurance system and other related laws.
Almaarefa university provide free on campus clinic covers basic healthcare equipped with appropriate physicians and equipment, also, the clinic physicians can refer students to the area government and private healthcare facilities for further care. The clinic carried out a number of programs and mechanisms aimed at raising the level of women’s health, including:
· Health education programs for the prevention of anemia and iron deficiency, which are implemented on a regular basis in schools, shopping malls and waiting rooms at health facilities;
· Pregnancy and motherhood education program;
· Early detection of breast cancer.
· Awareness-raising programs for balanced health nutrition.