Women MPs want pregnant Govt employees given closer work stations

Women Parliamentarians have called the government to assign pregnant government officials facing transport difficulties to the nearest work station closer to their residence.

The appeal has been made by the Women Parliamentarian's Caucus. (Dr.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Chairperson of the Caucus in writing  Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government and Leader of the House of Parliament made the appeal.

“The Women Parliamentarian's Caucus requests that in view of the current fuel crisis prevailing in the country, the method of assigning pregnant government officials who are facing severe difficulties with obtaining sufficient transportation facilities to another work station close to their residence should be a mandatory implementation and opportunity for pregnant officials who cannot be assigned should be facilitated to perform their duties online under a work from home mechanism so that it would not interfere with performing their duties,” a statement from the Caucus said.

The Public Administration Circular No. 16/2022 has been issued by the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government on 17.06.2022 regarding the restriction of calling officials to government offices, they pointed out.

Accordingly, in the letter, the Women Parliamentarian's Caucus has requested to take necessary measures to implement mandatory measure in facilitating pregnant government officials to be assigned to another work station close to the place of their residence as mentioned in Section 02 of the said circular.

Furthermore, the Women Parliamentarian's Caucus also requested special attention towards the possibility of applying this mechanism to the private sector employees in the said letter sent by the Caucus.