Karapatan ng mga kababaihan sa special at maternity leave benefit

ni PAO Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | April 19, 2026

Kaugnay ng karapatan ng mga kababaihan sa isang maayos na kalusugan ay ang karapatan ng mga babaeng manggagawa na makakuha ng Special Leave sa panahon na sila ay magkasakit ng karamdaman na kabilang sa kategorya “gynecological disorders”. Ito ay ayon sa Section 18 ng nasabing batas, kung saan nakasaad na:

 “Section 18. Special Leave Benefits for Women. - A woman employee having rendered continuous aggregate employment service of at least six (6) months for the last twelve (12) months shall be entitled to a special leave benefit of two (2) months with full pay based on her gross monthly compensation following surgery caused by gynecological disorders.”

Upang maging kwalipikado ang babaeng manggagawa sa benepisyong ito, kinakailangan na ang nasabing babaeng manggagawa ay nakapaglingkod bilang isang empleyado sa loob ng anim na buwan para sa huling 12 na buwan. Ang espesyal na leave na ito ay dalawang buwan na may bayad base sa kanyang gross income. Ang mga babaeng empleyado na makararanas ng “gynecological disorder” ay maaaring makipag-ugnayan sa kanilang opisina para magamit ang prebilihiyong ito.

Bukod sa nasabing mga karapatan, may karapatan din ang mga kababaihan na magkaroon ng maternity leave benefits na isang daan at limang (105) araw, sang-ayon sa Republic Act (R. A.) No. 11210, kung saan nakasaad na:

“Section 3. Grant of Maternity Leave.— All covered female workers in government and the private sector, including those in the informal economy, regardless of civil status or the legitimacy of her child, shall be granted one hundred five (105) days maternity leave with full pay and an option to extend for an additional thirty (30) days without pay: Provided, That in case the worker qualifies as a solo parent under Republic Act No. 8972, or the "Solo Parents’ Welfare Act", the worker shall be granted an additional fifteen (15) days maternity leave with full pay.” 

Kinakailangan lamang na ang nasabing babaeng empleyado ay nakapagbayad ng tatlong monthly contributions sa loob ng twelve-month period bago ang kanyang panganganak o miscarriage at naabisuhan niya ang kanyang employer ng tungkol sa kanyang panganganak. Ang nasabing benepisyo ay papaluwalan na muna ng kanyang employer at ito ay babayaran ng Social Security Service (SSS). 

Para naman sa mga kababaihang nagtatrabaho sa pampublikong sektor, sila ay mayroon ding karapatang mabigyan ng maternity leave na isang daan at limang (105) araw, alinsunod sa Seksyon 4 ng R. A. No. 11210, kung saan nakasaad ang mga sumusunod:

“Section 4. Maternity Leave for Female Workers in the Public Sector.— Any pregnant female worker in the government service, regardless of employment status, in National Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs), Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), or State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), shall be granted a maternity leave of one hundred five (105) days with full pay regardless if the delivery was normal or caesarian: Provided, That, in case the employee qualifies as a solo parent under Republic Act No. 8972, or the "Solo Parents’ Welfare Act", the employee shall be paid an additional maternity benefit of fifteen (15) days. An additional maternity leave of thirty (30) days, without pay, can be availed of, at the option of the female worker: Provided, further, that, the head of the agency shall be given due notice, in writing, at least forty-five (45) days before the end of her maternity leave: Provided, finally, That no prior notice shall be necessary in the event of a medical emergency but subsequent notice shall be given to the head of the agency.”