PCB announces parental leave policy to support professional cricketers

PCB announces parental leave policy to support professional cricketers!

Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday has announced its Parental Support Policy aimed to motivate and champion professional cricketers in their journey to parenthood – throughout pregnancy and even after childbirth when they return to play and are required to balance their parental responsibilities with the demands of their cricketing career.

The policy was announced via an official statement, under which women and men players have been granted various rights that they are respectively entitled to avail during the pregnancy and upon the birth of their child.

As per the newly introduced policy, women cricketers will be given an option to transfer to a non-playing role until the commencement of their maternity leave leading up to the birth of their child.

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“Women cricketers are also entitled to take up to 12 months of paid maternity leave and will be guaranteed a contract extension for the following year, in line with their existing contractual arrangements as the PCB believes that a player’s right to pursue the game on a professional level should not be limited because of their pregnancy or responsibilities as a new parent,” PCB states in the new policy.

“Upon conclusion of the maternity leave, the player will be reintegrated into cricketing activities and provided adequate medical and physical support in respect of their post-childbirth rehabilitation,” it further added.

The statement further continued, adding, “Similarly, if a woman player is required to travel for cricketing activities, the PCB will support the player by allowing her to travel with a support person of her choice to assist in caring for her infant child, with the travel and accommodation costs to be shared equally.”

“Men cricketers, who are expectant or new fathers, will also be entitled to up to 30 days of fully paid leave, which will need to be taken within 56 days of the birth of their child, as part of the paternity rights covered under the Policy, it added.

“The PCB has a duty of care towards its cricketers and at every turn, it has taken measures to support them,” PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan was quoted as saying in the PCB statement.

Following the announcement, a number of cricketers and fans took to social media to laud PCB’s decision.