Post Maternity Leave Allowance Safeguards Working Mothers, Builds Future Workforce - HR Expert

By Tan Su Chiat

KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 (Bernama) -- The Post-Maternity Leave Allowance (EPCB) announced by the government will not only safeguard the welfare of working mothers but also lay the foundation for a resilient workforce in the future, a local HR expert said today.

Ku Sim Ling, a 20-year veteran in the human resources and workforce solutions industry, expressed optimism that employers would be more receptive to supporting the initiative as the cost of the allowance is borne by the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO).

“I have personally heard of cases where employees - most of them first-time mothers - decided to take unpaid sabbatical leave because of their anxiety about being away from their newborn babies.

“So, this initiative provides them with some relief to go ahead with taking unpaid leave as the financial burden incurred is somewhat mitigated by this allowance,” she told Bernama today.

She also expressed hope that employers would maintain an open mindset towards hiring and promoting women of childbearing age, noting that issues concerning working mothers are not only about costs but also involve inconvenience, continuity, and unconscious bias.

“Mindsets do not change overnight, and while sound policies can reduce the financial burden, they will not remove bias on their own,” she said.

She recommended that PERKESO take a more proactive approach with ground-level efforts to educate employers - particularly the many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country - to ensure that the initiative is properly understood and widely adopted.

“Such efforts tend to have long-term positive outcomes as mothers who stay on in the workforce will continue contributing in terms of taxes while raising well-rounded children who will become the country’s next generation of a resilient workforce,” she added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in his message at the 2026 National Workers’ Day celebration on Friday, said the government would introduce the Post-Maternity Leave Allowance as a progressive measure to support women’s participation in the workforce and reduce the stress faced by mothers after childbirth.

Anwar said the initiative was introduced following findings that the labour force participation rate among women, especially those aged between 25 and 39, had shown a slight decline, partly due to maternity-related commitments.

-- BERNAMA