<p>To be eligible for the Government funded paid maternity leave, the employee must:</p><ul><li>be pregnant; and</li><li>be a Cook Islander or</li><li>hold permanent resident status, or</li><li>be the spouse or child of a Cook Islander or person who holds permanent resident status;</li><li>be a tax registered employee working in the Cook Islands as a full time or part time employee in the private sector at the time of birth</li></ul>