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maternity and paternity leave policies in hong kong

Since 2020, the statutory maternity leave for eligible employees has increased from 10 weeks to 14 weeks. To be eligible for statutory maternity leave, an employee must be employed under a continuous contract with the same employer for at least 40 weeks immediately before the start of the scheduled maternity leave.

Employees who are employed between 4 weeks and 40 weeks are eligible for unpaid maternity leave. However, some companies are known to offer paid maternity leave depending on their internal policies.

During the 14 weeks, eligible employees are entitled to maternity leave pay that is calculated at a daily rate equivalent to 80% of their average daily wages earned in the 12-month period before the first day of the maternity leave. The maternity leave pay between week 11 and week 14 is subject to a cap of HK$80,000 per employee.

Hong Kong law also provides additional support for any health complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. An employee may be eligible for additional leave for up to 4 weeks if they experience illness or disability related to pregnancy or childbirth. This is provided in addition to sick leave that the employee is already entitled to.

Since 2019, male employees are eligible for 5 days of paid paternity leave for each child, an increase from 3 days. The eligibility and calculation for the 5 days are similar to maternity leave. To be eligible for paternity leave, the male employee must be employed under a continuous contract with the same employer for at least 40 weeks immediately before the intended first day of leave. Eligible male employees are entitled to paternity leave pay that is calculated at a daily rate equivalent to 80% of their average daily wages earned in the 12-month period before the first day of the maternity leave.

There is no statutory parental leave where parents can share their maternity or paternity leave in Hong Kong, no matter who has the bigger responsibility of child-caring at home.

However, some companies in Hong Kong offer extended periods of unpaid leave in addition to the paid paternity or maternity leave as part of their internal policies. You should always check with your manager and Human Resources team on the types of provisions allowed.

While the government sets the minimum amount of leave, some companies might offer more maternity and paternity leave. Always check your company’s policies to get the full picture.

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