Maternity and Paternity Leave

The term maternity leave sounds like a cliché within the labour environment in Ghana. In recent times however, some employers are into the practice of granting paternity leave to their employees. Yes you read right: paternity leave!

Article 24(2) of the 1992 Constitution guarantees the right of every worker to rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and periods of holidays with pay, as well as remuneration for public holidays. The right to rest and leisure means a right to leave with pay. The law attaches so much importance to rest and leisure for workers that section 30 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) frowns upon employees agreeing with their employers to waive their leave by rendering any such agreement void.