Second, extend paternity leave for paid fathers. At present, in many areas, paternity leave for fathers is only seven days, which has limited incentives for fathers to participate in parenting, and the male employees who participate in insurance have insufficient sense of acquisition. It is suggested to extend it to at least 1 month, and the maternity allowance during paternity leave should also be paid by maternity insurance.
Third, the maternity insurance fund subsidizes employers. Maternity leave will also bring other costs to the employer besides wages, such as paying overtime wages to other employees. Appropriate subsidies should be considered for the relevant expenses of the employer, and the level of subsidies should be linked to the number of employees enjoying maternity allowance.
Fourth, gradually bring flexible employees into the scope of maternity insurance. Considering the increasing proportion of flexible employment and unstable income of young people in China, it is necessary to include it in the coverage of maternity insurance. The combined implementation of maternity insurance and medical insurance also provides a favorable opportunity. We will improve the design of the insurance system and include flexible employees in the coverage of maternity insurance.
Fifth, the parental leave system should be implemented as soon as possible. Parental leave should be mainly aimed at meeting the temporary care needs of young children. It is suggested that for families with children under 6 years old, both parents can enjoy a certain paid holiday every year according to the number of children, and the allowance is paid by the maternity insurance fund.