TECHNICIAN Ruth Foo, 29, is happy that maternity leave will be extended from 12 to 16 weeks.

But the mum of a five-month-old daughter, who desires a second and third child, is uneasy too. 'What will bosses think? Will we be a liability?' she asks.

She wonders if she missed a performance bonus this year for being away four months on maternity and annual leave.

Then she had to tussle with her firm when it clocked her maternity leave from the day she was ordered to stay in hospital, not from the day her child was born.

Smaller companies too have questions about Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's announcement of extra maternity leave at the National Day Rally on Sunday.

A chief executive of a 30-strong training firm, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: 'Although the Government will pay for the extra four weeks of leave, employers still have to hire a part-timer to cover the absent staff.'

Half of his staff are women.

The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, however, is helping its 5,000 members stay resourceful.

'Get staff to go on job rotation, for example,' said its president, Mr Lawrence Leow, so they can stand in for each other.

SMEs hire about 55 per cent of the workforce in Singapore. The gender distribution is split 50:50, he estimated.

East Coast GRC MP Jessica Tan, who heads Microsoft's operations in Singapore, said most employers do not discriminate against women.

Also, the Government is funding part of maternity leave, so it is more an issue of 'resource planning' for bosses, said the Manpower Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) member.

Supportive employers will earn the 'loyalty' of their women staff, she said.

Madam Tay Jin Li, 34, a senior manager at Prudential, demonstrates that maternity leave need not be disruptive.

'My company is very supportive and openly discussed my schedule,' said the mother of three. Her fourth is due in March.

When her third child was born, she took two months of maternity leave. Then she staggered another two months of leave, by taking half-days or a couple of days off each month. That eased her back into work, while giving her time with her newborn.

She is a happy mum and career woman.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on August 20, 2008.