Macau casino operator Sands China Ltd announced on Monday that it is implementing a paid paternity leave policy, effective on February 16, for eligible employees. The policy applies to Sands China’s male employees “with at least one year of service”, the firm said in a press release.
Those employees will be eligible for five consecutive days of paid paternity leave, to be taken within 30 days after the birth of the child, according to the release.
“Sands China values team members’ well-being and work-life balance, and is committed to the implementation of ‘people-oriented’ policies and guidelines,” said Wilfred Wong Ying Wai, president of Sands China, in a statement included in the release. “We strive to address the needs of our team members, so we’re very pleased to announce this new paid paternity leave policy,” he added.
Macau’s existing labour law states that a worker is entitled to two working days as justified absences for reasons of paternity, although those are non-paid absences. The Macau government has proposed an overall amendment to the labour law, which includes a provision for a paid paternity leave of “three to five working days”. The government-proposed amendment is yet to enter the legislative process.
Angela Leong On Kei, a legislator and an executive director of Macau casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd, told local reporters on Monday that her firm would follow the government-proposed policy once the amended labour law is approved and comes into effect.
She said additionally that SJM Holdings had already implemented a paid paternity leave policy, whereby eligible male employees can enjoy three working days of paid paternity leave.
SJM Holdings is also planning to raise salaries for its employees in April, Ms Leong noted on Monday.
“At a meeting [of the firm’s board] today, we are talking of a salary increase for employees to be implemented in April. I believe that as the board discusses the issue in the following days, we can implement it soon,” Ms Leong said as quoted by local media outlets, adding that the specific rate of increase would be announced at a later stage.
Macau casino operators Wynn Macau Ltd and Sands China have publicly announced their respective salary increases for eligible employees this year, in both cases effective from March 1.
