Question

The Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2016, proposes to increase the maternity leave available to mothers with less than 2 surviving children from 12 weeks to
1. 18 weeks
2. 22 weeks
3. 26 weeks
4. 30 weeks

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : 26 weeks

The correct answer is 26 Weeks.

• The Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2016, proposes to increase the maternity leave available to mothers with less than 2 surviving children from 12 weeks to 26 Weeks.
  • In line with recommendations of the 44th. 45th & 46th Session of Indian Labour Conference (LC) and demands from various quarters, the Government has recently enacted the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017.
  • Through this Amendment Act, following provisions have been added to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961:
    • Increase in the maternity leave from existing 12 to 26 weeks for working women with less than two surviving children.
    • Provisions for work from home for nursing mothers.
    • Mandatory provisions for establishments having fifty or more employees to have the facility of creche.
    • Extension of twelve weeks of maternity benefit to the commissioning mother and the adopting mother from the date the child is handed over.

• Duration of maternity leave: The Act states that every woman will be entitled to maternity benefit of 12 weeks.  The Bill increases this to 26 weeks.
• Maternity leave for adoptive and commissioning mothers: The Bill introduces a provision to grant 12 weeks of maternity leave to:
  • A woman who legally adopts a child below three months of age.
  • A commissioning mother.  A commissioning mother is defined as a biological mother who uses her egg to create an embryo implanted in another woman. 
• Option to work from home: The Bill introduces a provision that states that an employer may permit a woman to work from home.  This would apply if the nature of work assigned to the woman permits her to work from home.
• Creche facilities: The Bill introduces a provision which requires every establishment with 50 or more employees to provide creche facilities within a prescribed distance.
• Informing women employees of the right to maternity leave: The Bill introduces a provision which requires every establishment to intimate a woman at the time of her appointment of the maternity benefits available to her.