President Muizzu ratifies amendment granting female employees two years of paid nursing breaks

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Saturday ratified an amendment to the Employment Act that extends paid nursing breaks for female employees from one year to two years.

Under the previous version of the law, female employees were entitled to 30 minutes of paid break twice a day for one year after childbirth. The amendment, submitted on behalf of the government by PNC MP Mohamed Shameez, extends this entitlement to two years.

Parliament passed the bill on Sunday with the unanimous support of 62 members.

During the debate, Thoddoo MP Hussain Sameer (MDP) proposed increasing each break from 30 minutes to 45 minutes, but the PNC‑majority parliament voted down the amendment.

The government’s bill also designates Labor Day as an official public holiday. In addition, the amendment allows the Cabinet to exempt certain small and medium‑sized businesses from paying quota fees required under the Act.

The previous MDP administration had introduced six months of paid maternity leave, doubling the earlier entitlement of three months.