The Finance Minister says the Government will update the Public Sector Staff Orders of 2004 to introduce Family Leave for adoptive parents who are bringing a new child into the home.

Full statement delivered by Minister Clarke today.

Paid Maternity Leave is set out in the Public Service Staff Orders of 2004 as 40 days. Minister Clarke says GOJ intends to update Staff Orders to increase paid maternity leave in the public service from 40 days (where it has been since at least 2004) to three (3) calendar months.

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa So is this 6 weeks paid and 6 weeks unpaid is the real question

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Great News. More time for bonding.

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Yes!!! This is excellent news excellent news!!!

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa This is prosperity

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Government introduces what businesses have to pay??

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Is the Government go in to pay this? Can the very under stress Small Business operators afford this? Are they going to give them a tax break?

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa This is great news, and another excellent addition to the social protection system. Big applause!

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Is the full 3 months with pay? I got 2 months with pay and 1 without pay

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Great new because sometimes we the mother really need it with a newborn

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Is this for public sector workers? Cuz I swear maternity leave was always 3mths

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Imagine dat someone thinking outside the box to move us from 3rd World to 1st World 💁🏽‍♂️

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Paternity leave huh... so let's say its only 1 week Paternity leave they decide on, all a man would have to do os breed 52 women for the year, in order to collect a full years pay without reporting to work.😀😃😄😁

@mhkajh59 @AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa It is actually 2 months as the weekends are not counted. So now it will be an additional month. Some women would take an extra month unpaid or use vacation days. Good initiative now

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Great news. Kudos to the government. Giving credit when it's due

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa This is not a government iniatative. This is what the unions bargained for. As a former government worker i can tell you the JLP government was against the maternity leave law with pay when it was introduced by the, Michael Manley government in the seventies.

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Every action brings about an equal and opposite reaction. How will this affect small businesses. Lets hope this won't lead to less women being employed. It might be a good idea for Government to pay for the additional fifty days where private sector workers are concerned ?

@AbkaFitzHenley @NigelClarkeJa Well, with the cultural norm for giving "Jacket* in Jamaica, will the government require a DNA test, as a prerequisite for granting paternity leave