Kuwait Ensures 70 Days of Paid Maternity Leave for Women

Kuwait's Labour Law, specifically Article 24, provides female workers with 70 consecutive days of fully paid maternity leave. This law offers significant statutory protections for working mothers in the region, requiring employers to maintain full pay throughout this leave.

After the initial paid leave, mothers can request an additional four months of unpaid leave, allowing for a total of approximately five and a half months to care for a newborn. During both the paid and unpaid leave periods, women are protected from termination, ensuring job security.

However, the four-month unpaid extension is not automatic; female workers must formally request it from their employer. This framework gives female employees a combined maternity protection window of about six months, during which their employment remains legally secure.