Unpaid maternity leave places financial strain on new Unam staff

Women working at the University of Namibia (Unam) face significant financial strain during maternity leave, with eight of the 12 weeks granted unpaid, leaving them to rely on state benefits and personal leave to cover the gap.

The university confirmed that while qualifying employees are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave, only the first four weeks, taken before childbirth, are paid in full.

The remaining eight weeks are unpaid.

“In terms of remuneration, the first four weeks of maternity leave, taken before the expected date of confinement, are granted with full salary,” Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho explained.

“The remaining eight weeks, taken after childbirth, are without basic salary.”

During the unpaid period, employees are required to rely on benefits from the Social Security Commission (SSC) for income support.

This system has increasingly become central to maternity protection in Namibia’s public institutions.

“Employees are required to claim maternity benefits from the Social Security Commission for income support during the unpaid portion,” Namesho said, adding that while salaries are suspended, contractual benefits such as medical aid remain in place.

To mitigate the financial impact, the university allows staff to use accrued annual leave to supplement lost income.

“Where applicable, employees may utilise accrued annual leave to cover part or all of the unpaid period,” he noted.

However, the arrangement effectively shifts the financial responsibility of maternity leave onto employees and state mechanisms, raising concerns about affordability for new mothers during a critical period.

The policy also imposes eligibility conditions, requiring employees to have completed at least six months of continuous service or be on contracts of two years or longer. “Employees who have not yet completed six months of service do not qualify for maternity leave benefits under the university's policy,” Namesho said.

Different model at NUST

In contrast, the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) offers a different model, where employees receive full salary coverage during maternity leave through a combination of SSC benefits and institutional support.

According to NUST spokesperson Cindy van Wyk, while salaries are temporarily paused, the university ensures employees do not lose income.

“In instances where the SSC benefit is less than the employee’s normal salary, NUST covers the shortfall to ensure that the employee receives their full salary entitlement for the maternity leave period,” she said.

Both universities align their policies with Namibia’s Labour Act 11 of 2007, which provides for maternity leave but leaves implementation details to employers.