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The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 granting women working in the organised sector paid maternity leave of 26 weeks, up from 12 weeks now, was passed by Parliament recently. This is expected to benefit around 1.8 million women workers.
The law will apply to all establishments employing 10 or more people and the entitlement will be for the first two children. For the third child, the entitlement will be 12 weeks. With this, India becomes the country with the third highest maternity leave. Canada and Norway grant 50 weeks and 44 weeks respectively as paid maternity leave.
Piloting amendments to the old law, Labour Minister Sri Bandaru Dattatreya said that while framing the rules, he would try to ensure that pregnant women got maximum benefits.
The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 protects the employment of women during the time of her maternity and entitles her full paid absence from work to take care of her child. Among other things, the bill provides for 12 weeks of maternity leave to a woman who legally adopts a child under three months of age and a commissioning mother (defined as a biological mother) who uses her egg to have a surrogate child.
The bill also requires every establishment with 50 or more employees to provide creche facilities within a prescribed distance. The woman will be allowed four visits to the creche a day. This will include her interval for rest. It has also made a provision under which an employer can permit a woman to work from home, if the nature of work assigned permits.
Observing that labour falls in the Concurrent List, the Minister appealed to States to ensure all benefits reach women.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
