Urgent family leave will rise to 32 hours, government announces

Government has announced that from April, the number of hours workers can take off for urgent family matters will rise from 15 hours to 32 hours per year.

Announcing the change during a press conference on Monday, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue Andy Ellul said changes improve work-life balance.

He said the changes will come into force on 4 April, and employees will have access to up to eight hours per day for a total of four days.

Workers can take urgent leave to care for a family member, such as when their children are unwell or to assist their parents—not only in cases of illness but also if they require immediate help due to an issue at their residence, even if they do not live together. The leave also applies to those with legal custody of minors and when siblings require urgent assistance.

“We are doing this because taking care of families remains a priority for this government,” Ellul said, stating government has delivered on its pledge, and increased the entitlement beyond what was promised. The Labour Party’s 2022 election manifesto had initially committed to doubling urgent family leave to 30 hours. 

The measure also applies to part-time workers on a pro-rata basis. Employees must notify their employer when taking this leave, and employers have the right to request proof to prevent misuse.

The four days of urgent family leave will be allocated equally from an employee’s existing leave entitlements. The first 16 hours will be deducted from annual leave, while the remaining 16 hours will come from sick leave.

Ellul stated that while this was a positive step, more needs to be done by government to improve work-life balance.

‘A gimmick announcement’ – Nationalist Party

Reacting to the announcement, the Nationalist Party said the move was a reactionary one, after proposals made by the PN last week.

“In a hastily arranged press conference, the Government presented a single measure as if it were a real solution for parents seeking a better balance between work and family life,” it said. “However, the only measure introduced today by the Labour Government, relating to emergency leave, does not actually offer anything new to Maltese families. Instead, it will simply take away from employees’ existing leave and sick leave entitlements. Furthermore, it places the burden on employers, who will continue to bear the cost of this leave, as they already do.”

The PN said this was in stark contrast to the PN’s proposals for increased leave entitlements, which would be fully funded by the Government, “ensuring that no additional burden is placed on employers.”

They said it is clear Government is “merely reacting” to the positive proposals announced last week by the PN.