Treasury plans to cancel birth allowance

Finance Minister also seeks to shorten maternity leave ahead of approval of 2009 state budget. MKs Yacimovich, Saar threaten to thwart 'brutish plan'

Reuters | Published: 07.22.08, 10:38

The Finance Ministry is planning to cancel the birth allowance paid to mothers as of their second child. The Treasury also seeks to shorten the maternity leave back to 12 weeks, according to the Arrangements Act draft for the 2006 state budget, which will be submitted to the government for approval.

The draft was obtained by Knesset Members Shelly Yacimovich (Labor) and Gideon Sa'ar (Likud), the lawmakers who initiated the extension of the maternity leave.

"The Treasury's plan is pure brutishness," the two said in a statement, after deciding to expose the plan in order to thwart what they referred to as "the Treasury's schemes."

The birth allowance is given to mothers as a special grant following the birth of each child, and is separate from the maternity leave payments.

The birth allowance for a family's first child totals NIS 1,489 (about $432). The second child grants the parents NIS 670 ($194), and for each additional child the family is entitled to NIS 447 ($130). A woman who gives birth to twins is granted NIS 7,443 ($ 2,160).

The Treasury now plans to settle for a one-time grant only after the first child's birth.

Maternity leave back to 12 weeks?

In May 2007, the Knesset approved a bill extending the maternity leave from 12 to 14 weeks. Ninety-five MKs voted in favor of the deal, which won broad public support. Now the Treasury seeks to shorten the leave back to 12 weeks.

A new bill calling for the extension of the maternity leave in Israel to 16 weeks is currently being advanced in the Knesset.

Yacimovich and Sa'ar said Tuesday morning, "The Treasury has apparently decided to launch a war against working women, young families and babies. We will not allow these violent moves to take place and plan to lead a united front in the Knesset and the public which will prevent these decrees from being implemented."

MK Lia Shemtov (Yisrael Beiteinu), head of the Knesset's Committee on the Status of Women, told Ynet, "I suggest that the Treasury go back into the cave it came out of."

The Finance Ministry said in response, "We do not comment on rumors. The Arrangements Act draft has yet to be finalized, and all the issues are still being discussed by the Prime Minister's Office and the Treasury."