Kesejahteraan Sosial

12 KOMPENDIUM REKOMENDASI POLISI KESEJAHTERAAN PSIKOLOGI PERKHIDMATAN AWAM KESEJAHTERAAN SOSIAL 4.3.1.2 Eliminate Gender-Specific Assumptions in the Classification of Paternity Leave Under the current Malaysian Public Service Policy, paternity leave is categorised alongside other types of leave such as community service and bereavement (Malaysian Public Service Circular 1/2024). This classification implicitly reinforces the perception that childcare is primarily the responsibility of mothers. A growing body of research demonstrates that active father involvement in early childcare contributes positively to children’s developmental outcomes and promotes gender equality in households and the workplace (Huerta et al., 2013; Koslowski et al., 2021). Replacing this bundled classification with a clear and standardised entitlement to paternity leave would reflect greater institutional recognition of fathers’ role in childcare and signal a broader commitment to gender-equitable family policies. 4.3.1.3 Eliminate Rigid Definitions of Staggered Working Hours While staggered working hours are a step towards greater flexibility, they remain constrained by fixed blocks of time that do not adequately accommodate the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of family responsibilities. Empirical research by Chung and Van der Lippe (2020) shows that rigid forms of flexibility where working hours are set solely by employers or supervisors, are of limited effectiveness in alleviating work- family conflict. For flexibility to be meaningful, employees must be able to negotiate their working hours in line with their personal needs and the demands of caregiving. Rigid schedules should therefore be reconsidered in favour of more adaptable, context-dependent arrangements that better support work-life integration. 4.3.2 Reduce 4.3.2.1 Reduce Reliance on Unrecorded or Discretionary Leave for Family Commitments In the Malaysian public service, employees often rely on unrecorded or informal leave categories to fulfil parental responsibilities. These leave arrangements are usually granted on an ad hoc basis and are at the discretion of individual employers or supervisors. Such discretionary