Maternity and Paternity Policy

Introduction:

At Lyceum of the Philippines University, we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that promotes equal opportunities for women’s participation and advancement. Our Maternity and Paternity Policy aims to create a respectful and empowering atmosphere that enables both female and male employees to balance their work and family responsibilities, thereby enhancing gender equality and overall well-being.

Policy Statements:

  1. Empowerment and Inclusion of Women:
    • LPU commits to actively promote and ensure equal opportunities for women’s participation across all sectors, fostering an environment where women can contribute and excel.
    • LPU aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination, bias, and barriers that hinder women’s involvement, and seeks to create platforms for their leadership, skill development, and meaningful engagement, thus advancing gender equality and enriching the collective progress of our institution and society.
  2. Maternity Leave:
    • Female employees are entitled to maternity leave as mandated by the prevailing labor laws and regulations.
    • The university will fully adhere to legal requirements for maternity leave duration, benefits, and provisions.
    • Maternity leave requests will be processed promptly and discreetly, ensuring privacy and dignity for the expecting mother.
  • Flexible Work Arrangements:
    • Female employees returning from maternity leave will have the option to request flexible or hybrid work arrangements, including reduced hours, remote work, or part-time schedules, where feasible, compatible with job responsibilities and conforms with the internal guidelines of the university.
    • The university will strive to accommodate these requests without compromising job responsibilities and performance expectations.
  • Lactation Support:
    • The university will provide dedicated lactation rooms or private spaces for nursing mothers to express breast milk. These spaces will be equipped with necessary amenities to ensure comfort and hygiene.
    • Breaks for expressing milk will be granted, and supervisors will be trained to be supportive and understanding of this need.
  • Paternity Leave:
    • Married male employees will be entitled to paternity leave as mandated by the prevailing law to support their partners during childbirth and the immediate postpartum period.
    • Paternity leave requests will be processed promptly, encouraging male employees to actively participate in their family responsibilities.
  • Gender Sensitivity Training and Orientation Program
    • All employees, including supervisors and managers, will undergo gender sensitivity training to foster an environment that respects and values diversity and gender equality (GAD) especially on women’s rights to health, decent work, and overall wellness.
    • All employees will be oriented on maternity and paternity leave benefits including the laws, regulations, and processes as well as handling and addressing maternity and paternity-related matters with sensitivity and respect.
    • Training will include discussions on unconscious bias, fair treatment, and recognizing and addressing gender-related challenges.
  • Workload Adjustment:
    • Female employees returning from maternity leave will have the option to discuss potential workload adjustments with their supervisors, ensuring a balanced distribution of tasks to support a smoother transition back to work.
  • Career Advancement and Development:
    • Maternity and paternity leave will not be considered as hindrances to career advancement.
    • Performance evaluations and opportunities for professional development will be based on skills, competencies, and contributions.

Implementation:

  1. The Human Resources Department will oversee the implementation of this policy and ensure that it is communicated to all employees.
  2. Supervisors and managers will receive training on effectively implementing this policy and handling maternity and paternity-related requests with sensitivity and respect.
  3. The university will regularly review and update the policy to ensure its alignment with legal requirements and best practices.

At Lyceum of the Philippines University, we believe that a supportive maternity and paternity policy is crucial to fostering a culture of gender equality and promoting the holistic well-being of our employees. This policy demonstrates our commitment to providing a work environment that empowers all individuals to balance their professional and family responsibilities effectively.

Initially Approved Effective: June 10, 2008
Rev. 1 Reviewed, Amended, Approved, and Effective: July 28, 2023