Cabinet approves amendments for paid Maternity leave: 5 key points

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval for amendments to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.

Here are 10 key points to about Maternity Benefits Act

1. The Maternity Benefits Act, that aims to raise maternity leave for women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.

2. The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, protects the employment of women during the time of her maternity and entitles her of a full paid absence from work - to take care for her child.

3. It is applicable to all establishments employing 10 or more persons and the amendments will help around 1.8 million women workforce in the organised sector.

4. These amendments include increasing maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for two surviving children and 12 weeks for more than two children, 12 weeks maternity leave to a 'Commissioning mother' and 'Adopting mother'.

5. The ammendment also makes mandatory provision of creche in respect of establishment having 50 or more employees.

With PTI Inputs