The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has announced plans to implement paternity leave for male government employees, extending family support benefits that were previously only available to mothers.
This new policy will require paternity leave provisions to be included in all labour agreements for male government workers, according to todayβs Cabinet decision.
Currently, paternity leave is not mandated by law in Antigua and Barbuda, though the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU) has been advocating for its implementation.
Several private sector organizations have already introduced paternity leave policies voluntarily.
The move follows reforms to maternity benefits enacted in 2022, when amendments to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code (Cap. 27) incorporated provisions from the Maternity Protection Convention 2000.
These changes extended maternity leave from 12 weeks to a minimum of 14 weeks for female employees with at least 12 months of continuous service.
