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Singapore Girls may finally get maternity benefit
SIA may offer crew ex gratia payment in lieu of paid leave
By Karamjit Kaur, Aviation Correspondent
Sep 10, 2010
Source: The Straits Times
Currently, SIA flight attendants have to quit flying after the first trimester of their pregnancy, and to receive no maternity benefits after giving birth - unless they can secure a ground job, which is not easy to get.
THE Singapore Girl is famed for her gentle, nurturing image - but if she gets pregnant, she has to hang up her sarong kebaya.
Currently, Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight attendants have to quit flying after the first trimester of their pregnancy and receive no maternity benefits after giving birth, unless they can secure a ground job - which is not easy to get.
Once they quit and are no longer staff, the airline is not legally bound to cover them with paid maternity leave.
But change is on the way.
Pregnant Singapore Girls will still have to resign, but the airline is considering giving them a one-time ex gratia payment when the baby arrives. This will be in lieu of the 16 weeks of paid maternity leave other working mothers enjoy.
The Straits Times understands that in response to union and staff feedback, SIA will introduce a new scheme for its cabin crew: Singapore citizens will receive the full four months' pay as an ex gratia payment, while permanent residents and foreigners will get half that amount.
SIA is also believed to be in discussions with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) to seek government support for the scheme.
As part of the Government's improved pro-family measures announced in 2008, employers with staff entitled to paid maternity leave can seek reimbursement from the ministry for the last eight weeks of the leave.
This applies for a married woman's first two pregnancies. For those with more children, the Government bears the cost of the full 16 weeks of leave.
When contacted, an SIA spokesman would say only that the airline was 'reviewing an ex gratia payment' for Singapore Girls who become pregnant, and that discussions with the union were ongoing.
A spokesman for MCYS did not respond directly to questions about SIA, but said companies that decide to extend an ex gratia payment to employees not eligible for paid maternity leave can make an appeal for reimbursement of the government-paid portion of the maternity leave.
She said without elaborating: 'MCYS will assess each appeal based on its merit.'
A spokesman for the Manpower Ministry said there were no plans to change the qualifying criteria for paid maternity leave, but the ministry encouraged companies to extend ex gratia payments to affected staff out of goodwill.
Welcoming the airline's plans, Mr Alan Tan, president of the Singapore Airlines Staff Union, which represents close to 7,000 cabin crew, said: 'This is definitely a move in the right direction and long overdue.'
He said that on average, about 20 Singapore Girls become pregnant every month.
A Straits Times check found that apart from SIA, other Singapore carriers, namely Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia, also have similar policies affecting cabin crew who become pregnant.
Many other airlines, especially those based in Europe, the United States and Australia, do not require pregnant flight attendants to stop working.
The general practice is to find them alternative work on the ground or allow them to take no-pay leave until they are able to resume flying. Maternity benefits also automatically kick in.
A 25-year-old SIA flight attendant, who did not want to be named, said: 'I hope the company goes ahead and introduces the scheme. An SIA girl is no different from any other working woman and should be entitled to the same benefits.'
SIA may offer crew ex gratia payment in lieu of paid leave
By Karamjit Kaur, Aviation Correspondent
Sep 10, 2010
Source: The Straits Times
Currently, SIA flight attendants have to quit flying after the first trimester of their pregnancy, and to receive no maternity benefits after giving birth - unless they can secure a ground job, which is not easy to get.
THE Singapore Girl is famed for her gentle, nurturing image - but if she gets pregnant, she has to hang up her sarong kebaya.
Currently, Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight attendants have to quit flying after the first trimester of their pregnancy and receive no maternity benefits after giving birth, unless they can secure a ground job - which is not easy to get.
Once they quit and are no longer staff, the airline is not legally bound to cover them with paid maternity leave.
But change is on the way.
Pregnant Singapore Girls will still have to resign, but the airline is considering giving them a one-time ex gratia payment when the baby arrives. This will be in lieu of the 16 weeks of paid maternity leave other working mothers enjoy.
The Straits Times understands that in response to union and staff feedback, SIA will introduce a new scheme for its cabin crew: Singapore citizens will receive the full four months' pay as an ex gratia payment, while permanent residents and foreigners will get half that amount.
SIA is also believed to be in discussions with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) to seek government support for the scheme.
As part of the Government's improved pro-family measures announced in 2008, employers with staff entitled to paid maternity leave can seek reimbursement from the ministry for the last eight weeks of the leave.
This applies for a married woman's first two pregnancies. For those with more children, the Government bears the cost of the full 16 weeks of leave.
When contacted, an SIA spokesman would say only that the airline was 'reviewing an ex gratia payment' for Singapore Girls who become pregnant, and that discussions with the union were ongoing.
A spokesman for MCYS did not respond directly to questions about SIA, but said companies that decide to extend an ex gratia payment to employees not eligible for paid maternity leave can make an appeal for reimbursement of the government-paid portion of the maternity leave.
She said without elaborating: 'MCYS will assess each appeal based on its merit.'
A spokesman for the Manpower Ministry said there were no plans to change the qualifying criteria for paid maternity leave, but the ministry encouraged companies to extend ex gratia payments to affected staff out of goodwill.
Welcoming the airline's plans, Mr Alan Tan, president of the Singapore Airlines Staff Union, which represents close to 7,000 cabin crew, said: 'This is definitely a move in the right direction and long overdue.'
He said that on average, about 20 Singapore Girls become pregnant every month.
A Straits Times check found that apart from SIA, other Singapore carriers, namely Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia, also have similar policies affecting cabin crew who become pregnant.
Many other airlines, especially those based in Europe, the United States and Australia, do not require pregnant flight attendants to stop working.
The general practice is to find them alternative work on the ground or allow them to take no-pay leave until they are able to resume flying. Maternity benefits also automatically kick in.
A 25-year-old SIA flight attendant, who did not want to be named, said: 'I hope the company goes ahead and introduces the scheme. An SIA girl is no different from any other working woman and should be entitled to the same benefits.'
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