Starting from the 4th of April, Maltese and Gozitan families will benefit from an extension of four additional days to their Family Emergency Leave, increasing the leave from the current 15 hours.

This was announced during a press conference by the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue, Andy Ellul.

This new measure is yet another electoral commitment outlined in the “Malta Flimkien” manifesto and even goes beyond the promises made by the Labour Government.

Employees will now be able to take this emergency leave when they need to care for a family member. This leave is intended for circumstances where workers must attend to a loved one in urgent need, such as when parents have sick children, or when they need to assist their own parents, not only in cases of illness but also in emergencies involving situations at their residence.

This leave will also apply to those who have legal custody of minors, as well as to siblings in case of an urgent situation.

In these circumstances, employees are required to inform their employer, who in turn has the right to request verification certificates to ensure that the leave is not being misused.

The Parliamentary Secretary highlighted that this measure is specifically designed to support both workers and their families. He explained that the introduction of this leave aims to alleviate some of the burden on employees.

The leave will be divided equally between annual leave and sick leave, with 32 hours of emergency leave being allocated as follows:

• 16 hours from annual leave
• 16 hours from sick leave

Dr. Ellul clarified that the decision follows discussions and agreements with social partners, trade unions, and employer representatives at the Employment Relations Board.

This new provision marks a significant step towards improving work-life balance for Maltese and Gozitan families, giving them more flexibility in dealing with urgent family matters.