More paid leave days legislated for city's new parents

Parents in Shanghai will be eligible for more days of paid leave according to a revised local family planning law that was voted through the city's legislature on Thursday.

After the introduction of the new national population policy in May, which allows married couples to have up to three children, the standing committee of the National People's Congress ordered in August that all lower-level legislatures bring their local family planning laws into alignment by the end of November.

The revised Shanghai law aims to further boost, with more legally guaranteed benefits, the willingness of married couples to have more kids.

Previously, women in Shanghai were entitled to 98 days of maternity leave and an additional 30 days of paid leave. The newly revised law increases to 60 the number of additional paid leave days.

While the number of paid leave days for men whose spouses give birth remains at 10 days, both parents are granted an additional five days of paid leave every 12 months after the birth of their children before the kids turn three years old.

The revised law encourages employers to adopt flexible paid leave and work schedules for their employees to support them in raising children.

The law also requires government and work organizations with a larger number of women employees to provide baby-care facilities in public and work places.

Couples living in Shanghai have been allowed to have three children since May 31 this year.