The Department of Labour Protection and Welfare has proposed an amendment to a labour law in which 400 days' compensation will be granted to daily wage earners laid off after being employed for more than 20 years.
Department director-general Sumet Mahosot said compensation will be calculated based on the worker's last salary.
The bill seeks to amend the Labour Protection Act which stipulates that workers who are made redundant after working for 10 years are entitled to 300 days' compensation.
The act also currently says 240 days' compensation will be paid to daily wage earners who were employed from six to 10 years; 180 days' compensation for workers who have been with a company for three to six years; 90 days' compensation for those who have worked from one to three years; and 30 days' compensation for those employed from 120 days to a year.
Besides the compensation, Mr Sumet said the department also proposed that female workers who take 90 days' maternity leave will be entitled to a full month's salary and full Social Security Office benefits.
Under the existing law, they will obtain the payments and benefits for up to 45 days during their leave.
Mr Sumet said the new law will benefit more than 90% of daily wage workers nationwide if the amendment receives approval from the cabinet and the National Legislative Assembly.
Meanwhile, Manas Kosol, president of the Confederation of Thai Labour (CTL), also urged workers and employers to keep themselves updated on the amendment as the issue will greatly benefit them.
He said the amendment also proposed that employers be legally required to let female workers take maternity leave both before and after delivery to attend medical appointments and look after their health and welfare.
According to the CTL, most pregnant workers do not want to take maternity leave as they are concerned they might lose their jobs and so would rather go without.
Moreover, the workers are also entitled to take more than three days of personal leave with full salary, according to the amendment.
