Swiss petition to extend maternity leave to 6 months submitted to gov’t

A petition to extend Swiss paid maternity leave from 14 weeks to six months has been submitted to parliament with 110.000 signatures. 

Extended maternity leave gathers support in Switzerland

A Swiss petition to extend maternity leave from 14 weeks to six months has gathered 109.888 signatures and been submitted to the government. The initiative “Verlängerung Mutterschaftsurlaub" or “Extension of Maternity Leave” was started by Melanie Jesika Sulzer and supported by Campax, an organisation that campaigns for a “just and ecological Switzerland”. 

The proposal aims to create a “more family-friendly Switzerland” by giving mothers almost double the amount of maternity leave than what’s currently offered. Doing so will benefit both mothers' and newborns' health, strengthen early bonding, and reduce stress for families, reports SRF.

There would be a financial benefit for families as well, given that Switzerland has some of the highest childcare costs in Europe.

Swiss government to review proposal

The 14 weeks (98 days) of maternity leave currently offered to women is “a very short time in one of the most important phases in a child’s life,” states the petition. 

When that time comes to an end after just three months, “A baby is still completely dependent on its mother. Closeness, breastfeeding, bonding, and security are crucial for healthy development. At the same time, the mother also needs sufficient time for physical and mental recovery after pregnancy and childbirth," continues the initiative. 

Statutory paid maternity leave was only introduced in Switzerland in 2005, far behind its neighbours of France, Italy and Germany. Fathers in Switzerland can get two weeks of paid paternity leave at a federal level, although canton Geneva is moving closer to extending this to eight weeks.

The petition to extend maternity leave will now be assigned to a parliamentary committee. The proposal will be reviewed and either drafted into a parliamentary initiative or motion, or, if rejected, no further action will be taken.