SJM Resorts Ltd, the Macau casino operating unit of Hong Kong-listed SJM Holdings Ltd, says it has enhanced the parental benefits it offers to eligible employees, with effect from Sunday (March 1). That included extending the paid maternity leave from 70 days to 90 days, and increasing the paid paternity leave from five days to seven days.
The step shows “active support” for the Macau government’s “policy on encouraging childbirth,” and “further demonstrates the company’s commitment to fostering a family-friendly workplace,” stated the casino firm.
Under the updated policy, eligible female employees with at least one year of service “are entitled to 90 days of paid maternity leave, while male employees are entitled to seven days of paid paternity leave,” the company said in a Tuesday press release.
The group runs casinos on Macau peninsula, including the Grand Lisboa complex (pictured), as well as the Grand Lisboa Palace resort in Cotai.
The announcement quoted Daisy Ho, managing director of SJM Resorts, as saying: “The well-being and family happiness of our employees have always been at the core of our values, and a robust family support framework is key to attracting and retaining the best talent.”
She added: “This latest enhancement is a true reflection of our steadfast commitment to our people, and we hope that through our strengthened parental benefits, SJM can be the most reliable pillar of support for every employee during the most meaningful moments of their lives.”
SJM became the last of the city’s six casino concessionaires to make a public announcement of improved benefits for eligible new parents.
The move comes as the Macau government launched in early February a public consultation on the revision of the city’s Labour Relations Law, focused mainly on increasing the maternity leave to 90 days.
