A Women’s Serie A side has become the first elite club to introduce a maternity policy for AC Milan Women players and staff which will provide protection during pregnancy and those important early years of childhood beyond statutory regulations.
Players from both the first team and Primavera were part of the consultation to ensure that the policy would meet the expectations both professionally and personally of those considering starting a family, and create an environment to help them make those significant life choices.
In the most recent FIFPRO Global Employment Report on working conditions in women’s football in 2017, it was found that just 2% of players surveyed had children and almost half of those interviewed said they would leave football to start a family.
This policy, along with continued evolution and the expectation that fellow elite clubs will develop similar legislation for their own women’s teams, will continue to improve those statistics and improve working conditions for female players.
What are the added benefits of the AC Milan maternity policy?
While players will already be protected by national legislation relating to maternity periods, the policy will ensure that any player with a contract expiring during the season in which they became pregnant will automatically have their contract renewedfor an additional year on the same financial terms.
In addition, Milanwill provide childcare assistancewhile undertaking sporting activities for the club. This will include support with flights, accommodation and other travel expenses for the children and one companion. The policy also includes individuals who are the sole guardian rather than the biological birth parent, providing equivalent protection for those who, for example, may have chosen to adopt.
The announcement also highlighted the continued access to professional psycho-pedagogical, physiotherapy and nutritional specialists, and the option to request additional external expert advice as needed.
AC Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani noted within the press release:
“We are proud to present such an important project, which once again demonstrates AC Milan‘s attention towards relevant matters for all the people of the Rossoneri family. We want this new step to be a further motivation for growth and development for the entire club, becoming a model to follow, at a national and international level, ensuring that the world of football increasingly becomes an environment where everyone can feel free to make important personal decisions. The club has always shown great attention to the well-being of its female players and staff members, both professionally and personally,” added Head of Women’s Football at AC Milan, Elisabet Spina.
“For example, we were the first Italian Club to contribute social security benefits to our players, well before the introduction of professionalism. We further demonstrated it through the #WeAllAreFootball manifesto to mitigate gender conflict, which led to the definition of principles, initiatives, and concrete interventions on the club’s infrastructure. We are now about to start a new season in which we will work to achieve important goals, both on and off the field: we are excited to approach it by introducing our innovative policy.”
Milan Women are under new guidance on the pitch this season with former Ajax coach Suzanne Bakker taking the reins after Davide Corti‘s short spell in charge.
Source: total-italianfootball.com
