Maternity Benefits (Amendments) Bill-2016: Key Points

INTRODUCTION:

The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill-2016 was passed by Lok Sabha on 9-Feb-2017, months after the Rajya Sabha approved the same that makes India 3rd on the list of nations with most maternity leave, after Canada & Norway where it is 50 weeks & 44 weeks respectively. The Bill is a modification to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, which safeguards the employment of Women & enables her to get full paid leave from work to take care of her child.

IMPORTANT POINTS:

The working women will now be eligible to paid maternity leave of 26 weeks, instead of 12 weeks. It will benefit around 1.8 million women.
The Bill also provides maternity leave of 12 weeks to mothers, who are adopting a child below three months.
It is mandatory for every organisation having more than 50 employees to provide crèche facilities within a recommended distance.
The women will be permitted 4 visits to the crèche in a day. This includes her interval for rest.
This new law will be applicable to all organisations employing ten or more people & the privilege will be for only up to first two children. For the third child, the claim will be for only 12 weeks.
The Bill is having a provision under which an employer can permit a woman to work from home if the nature of work allotted permits her to do so.
This choice can be availed of, after the maternity leave, for a period that is commonly decided by both employer & the woman.
The modifications in the bill would ensure full motherly care is provided during full bloom period & will encourage more women to work in an organised sector.