than those specified in the regulations, shall be construed with such modifications, qualifications, adaptations and exceptions as may be necessary to bring it into conformity with such regulations.". Amendment of section 18 of CaR. 28:01 Section 18 of the principal Act is repealed and l "18 Maternity leave ( 1 ) Unless more favourable conditions have otherwise been provided for in any employment contract or in any enactment, maternity leave shall be granted in terms of this section for a period of ninety days on full pay to a female employee who has served for at least one year. 25 (2) On production of a certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner or State Registered Nurse certifying that she is pregnant a female employee may proceed on maternity leave not earlier than the forty' fifth day and not later than the twenty-first day prior to the expected date of ~~ delivery. (3) A female employee shall be entitled to be granted a maximuro af three periods of maternity leave with respect to her total service to any une employer during which she shall be paid her full salary: Provided that paid maternity leave shall be granted only once during any period of twenty-four months calculated frcam rhe day any previ~ms maternity leave was granted. (4) A female employee who has served for less than one year and who requires leave for maternity purposes, shall, at her request, be granted ninety days' maternity leave without pay: Provided that if, during such leave, she completes one year~s serv- 4~ ice, she shall be paid her full salary for so much of such leave as is taken during her second year of service, and the period for which she is so paid shall count as'one ~f the periods of paid maternity leave referred to in subsection (3). (5) Any maternity leave requested in excess of th~ .ection may be granted as unpaid maternity leave. (6) Unless the employer grants sick leave for medical reasons other than maternity, sick leave may not be granted once paid maternity leave has begun or during a period of unpaid maternity leave. 16 (Page 17) LABOUR RELATIONS AMENDMENT (7) During the period when a female employee is on maternity leave in accordance with this section, her normal benefits and entitlements, including her rights to seniority or advancement and the accumulation of pension rights, shall continue uninterrupted in the manner in which they would have continued had she not gone on such leave, and her period of service shall not be considered as having been interrupted, reduced or broken by the exercise of her right to maternity leave in terms of this section. (8) A female employee who is the mother of a suckling child shall, durmg each working day, be granted at her request at least one hour or two lu half-hour periods, as she may choose during normal working hours, for the purpose of nursing her child, and such employee may combine the portion or portions of time to which she is so entitled with any other normal breaks so as to constitute longer periods that she may find necessary or convenient for the purpose of nursing her child. (9) Any person who ccr labour practice. ( 10) Notwithstanding subsections (8) and (9), the grant of breaks during normal working time to a female employee for the purpose of nursing her child shall be made in accordance with all the exigencies of her employment, and nothing done to prevent any disruption of normal production processes or any interference with the efficient running of an undertaking or industry shall be held to be ~n contravention of subsection (8). ( 1 1 ) A female employee shall be entitled to the benefits under sub-