Struggling to comprehend the requirement for a child over two years old to be breastfed during work hours
The Portuguese government has announced changes to the labor legislation, aiming to clarify the criteria for accessing breastfeeding time-off at work. According to the Minister of Labor, Solidarity, and Social Security, Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho, these changes are intended to prevent perceived abuses of the right to reduced working hours for breastfeeding mothers ([1], [2]).
The key clarification in the revised law is the restriction of breastfeeding time-off access to the first two years after birth. This means mothers can access breastfeeding breaks up to two years after childbirth, and beyond that, such reduced schedules are no longer officially supported ([2], [3]).
The minister expressed concern over the abusive exercise of the right to reduced working hours due to breastfeeding, stating that there are practices where children are breastfed to give workers reduced hours until they reach primary school ([3]). However, she did not specify the number of cases where she has observed such practices.
The proposed changes are part of an effort to review labor legislation and improve social supports, with a focus on strengthening the equity and sustainability of these supports ([4]). The changes under consideration also include stricter evaluation of breastfeeding hours by employers and Social Security ([2], [3]).
The minister did not provide details on the proposed changes to the law, but she did mention that breastfeeding should occur in the morning and evening, with the child also eating soup and other foods during the day ([1]). The minister's comments were made during an interview with TSF and Jornal de Notícias ([1]).
It is worth noting that the minister stated that employers pay two hours per day for reduced working hours due to breastfeeding ([1]). However, she also noted that it is unusual for a child aged two, three, or four to need breastfeeding during working hours if they are not eating anything else ([2]).
The changes being studied are part of a broader package to review labor legislation, with the Executive's proposals aiming to protect parental rights while preventing abuses ([4]). The minister did not discuss the potential impact of the proposed changes on working mothers or the childcare industry.
In summary, the revised labor law aims to clarify the criteria for accessing breastfeeding time-off at work, restricting such breaks to the first two years after birth to prevent abuses related to extended reduced working hours. The changes also include stricter evaluation of breastfeeding hours by employers and Social Security, as part of an effort to review labor legislation and improve social supports.
- The Portuguese government, under the leadership of Minister Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho, is revising policy-and-legislation regarding labor, focusing on clarifying breastfeeding time-off access and improving family-health supports.
- To address perceived abuses of breastfeeding breaks leading to extended reduced working hours, the revised law restricts access to the first two years after childbirth, following the suggestion made by the Minister of Labor, Solidarity, and Social Security.
- The proposed changes include stricter evaluation of breastfeeding hours by employers and Social Security, ensuring that wages for reduced working hours due to breastfeeding are fair and equitable.
- Furthermore, the general-news outlets TSF and Jornal de Notícias reported that the minister emphasized that breastfeeding should occur in the morning and evening, with children eating soup and other foods during the day, to promote a balanced diet and overall womens-health.
- While discussions on the proposed changes to labor legislation have focused on breastfeeding rights and potential abuses, the impact on working mothers and the childcare industry warrants further consideration in policy-and-legislation and war-and-conflicts debate.
