According to Lao Dong Newspaper, in mid-March 2025, many female workers in Hoa Binh City had high expectations with the proposal to extend maternity leave to 7 months if approved.
Many female workers expressed their support for this proposal. Ms. Le Thi Dieu Linh (32 years old) - an employee of Hoa Binh Urban Environment Company - shared: "When giving birth to my first child, I saw 6 months of maternity leave passing very quickly. The second time I gave birth, I realized more and more that this time was not enough. If I have 7 months off, I will have more time to make my child more resilient before sending him to the nursery.
According to Ms. Linh, this proposal is considered reasonable and brings many benefits to both mother and baby, helping to ensure the comprehensive development of young children as well as creating more favorable conditions for postpartum women.
Similarly, Ms. Bui Bich Phuong (34 years old) - a worker at Hoa Binh Urban Environment Joint Stock Company - said that if given an extension of one month or more, mothers can continue to take better care of their children, ensuring that the baby is strong enough before the mother returns to work.
This proposal also helps reduce psychological pressure on postpartum mothers. Many women worry about returning to work too early, when their children are too young and unable to adapt to the outside environment. An additional month off will help them prepare better, thereby balancing work and family, Ms. Phuong expressed.
Ms. Le Hoai Van (27 years old) - a worker at GGS Vietnam Co., Ltd., Song Da Fruit Bank Industrial Park - has high expectations for this proposal: "I hope the policy will be approved soon, even extending maternity leave to one year so that female workers have more time to take better care of their children".
Speaking to reporters, Ms. Phung Thanh Tam - Vice President of the Hoa Binh City Labor Federation - said: "In the context of Vietnam increasingly focusing on social security policies, this proposal promises to bring positive changes, not only helping female workers feel more secure when giving birth but also contributing to improving the quality of life of future generations. If approved, this will be an important step forward in protecting the rights of female workers and building a sustainable development society".
According to Ms. Tam, the proposal to extend maternity leave from 6 to 7 months for female workers when giving birth to a second child is considered an incentive solution of the state for people to have two children.
At the same time, creating conditions for women who have two children in industrial parks, export processing zones and provinces and cities with low fertility rates to be supported with social housing rental and purchase.
Previously, on March 11, in the draft Population Law that is seeking public opinion, the Ministry of Health proposed a series of groups of policies, in which the ministry proposed to increase maternity leave for women with second children from 6 months to 7 months to encourage childbirth...
According to current regulations, the period of enjoying the regime when giving birth, female workers who give birth are entitled to take leave to enjoy maternity benefits before and after giving birth is 6 months. In case of female double employees or more, from the second child onwards, each child, the mother is entitled to an additional month's leave. The maximum time off on maternity leave before giving birth is not more than 2 months.
Currently, the Politburo has assigned the National Assembly Party Committee and the Government Party Committee to coordinate and lead the direction to accelerate the development progress and submit to the National Assembly for approval of the Population Law in 2025.
