CSC issues new rules on maternity, adoption leave

MANILA – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has come out with rules and procedures for the availment of maternity leave, paternity leave, adoption leave, and other leave privileges for civil servants.

CSC Resolution No. 2100020 amended the Omnibus Rules on Leave (CSC Memorandum Circular No. 41, s. 1998, as amended) to align its provisions with Republic Act (RA) 11210 or the “105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law” and its implementing rules and regulations.

Pursuant to RA 11210, Sections 11 to 18 of CSC Resolution No. 2100020 grant female employees in the government service 105 days of maternity leave with full pay for live childbirth regardless of the mode of delivery, and 60 days with full pay for cases of miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy.

The female worker is also given the option to extend the maternity leave for another 30 days without pay or use her earned sick leave credits for extended leave with pay.

The said law also allows the mother to allocate up to seven days of her maternity leave benefit to the child’s father, whether or not married to her, or in case of the father’s incapacity, to an alternate caregiver.

Notably, CSC Resolution No. 2100020, as aligned with CSC-DOLE-SSS Joint Circular No. 1, s. 2019, allows retroactive application of the maternity leave benefit, stating that female employees who were qualified to receive such benefit beginning 11 March 2019, or the effectivity date of RA 11210, but were granted less than 105 days or 60 days with full pay, as the case may be, may resume their remaining maternity leave and receive the equivalent pay.

Female employees whose sick or vacation leave credits were deducted as a result of the application of the old maternity leave law, rules, and regulations shall also be entitled to have these leave credits restored.

The rule on the grant of paternity leave under Section 19 of the Omnibus Rules on Leave pursuant to RA 8187 or the Paternity Leave Act of 1996 is also updated.

In CSC Resolution No. 2100020, the CSC added the proper filing of an application for paternity leave, and the entitlement of child father’s to overtime pay in case his application for paternity leave is denied due to exigency of the service.

Adoption leave

Qualified adoptive parents in the government service can now avail of a 60-day adoption leave.

CSC Resolution No. 2100020 grants the adoption leave of 60 days to government employees who are adoptive parents. Said issuance is pursuant to Republic Act 8552 or the “Domestic Adoption Act of 1998”.

Section 20 of the Resolution specifically provides that a qualified female employee or a single male employee may avail of adoption leave of 60 days with full pay, which leave shall be enjoyed continuously and uninterruptedly.

Meanwhile, the legitimate male spouse of the female employee entitled to adoption leave can also avail of adoption leave of seven days with full pay in consonance with RA 8187 which shall likewise be enjoyed continuously or intermittently.

The adoption leave must be availed of continuously and uninterruptedly, as it is intended to “provide an opportunity for the prospective adoptee and the adoptive parent/s to develop bonding similar to that between a child and his/her biological parents.”

Leave forms

The CSC reminds government workers to observe the rules and procedures for the availment of leave privileges.

The amended leave rules prescribe the use of the revised Application for Leave Form (Civil Service Form No. 6, s. 2020) and discontinue the use of CS Form No. 41 (Philippine Civil Service Medical Certificate) for leave application. A medical certificate issued by a government or non-government physician may be submitted in support of the application for leave, if necessary.

The Notice of Allocation of Maternity Leave (CS Form No. 6a, s. 2020) shall be used to facilitate the allocation of maternity leave benefits to the child’s father or an alternate caregiver employed in the government service or the private sector. (PR)