Are you a parent who is considering adopting a child? Is the thought of getting the much needed time off from work to take care of your new baby weighing down your decision to adopt? Do you know that you can be entitled to a fully paid maternity or paternity leave as an adoptive parent?
Well, this is possible if the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2019 becomes law.
The Bill which was sponsored by Gilgil MP Martha Wangari, seeks to give adoptive mothers three months full maternity rights, while fathers will be entitled to a two-week leave.
“The principal object of this Bill is to amend the Employment Act, 2007 in order to afford pre-adoptive leave to parents who apply for the adoption of children who are not their natural children born to them by birth,” reads part of the proposal tabled in the National Assembly.
The adoptive parent must officially write to their employer expressing their intention to adopt children and accompany this by attaching an adoption certificate and a custody agreement between the employee and the adoption society.
“An employee eligible for leave shall notify the employer in writing… at least 14 days before the placement of the child,” the Bill states.
