Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

Maternity Protection Convention, 1919 (No. 3) - Panama (Ratification: 1958)

Article 3(c) of the Convention. (a) In reply to the Committee's previous comments, the Government states that women workers who do not fulfil the conditions for entitlement to maternity benefits under the Social Security Fund receive medical assistance benefits from the State under the Health Integration Programme in the regions covered by the above programme. The Committee notes this information.

(b) With regard to the provision of maternity cash benefits for this category of women workers, the Government refers to section 107 of the Labour Code, which obliges the employer to provide the benefits or the part of the benefits not covered by the Fund. The Committee once again draws the Government's attention to the fact that according to the Convention the benefits must be provided either by means of a system of insurance or out of public funds. The Committee therefore hopes that the Government will re-examine the matter and that it will indicate in its next report the measures which have been taken or are envisaged to give full effect to the Convention on this point.