Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Our Story
    • Partner with us
    • Reach Us
    • Career
    Subscribe Newsletter
    HR KathaHR Katha
    • Exclusive
      • Exclusive Features
      • Research
      • Point Of View
      • Case In Point
      • Dialogue
      • Movement
      • Profile
      • Beyond Work
      • Rising Star
      • By Invitation
    • News
      • Global HR News
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Diversity
      • Events
      • Gen Y
      • Hiring & Firing
      • HR & Labour Laws
      • Learning & Development
      • Merger & Acquisition
      • Performance Management & Productivity
      • Talent Management
      • Tools & Technology
      • Work-Life Balance
    • Special
      • Cover Story
      • Editorial
      • HR Forecast 2024
      • HR Forecast 2023
      • HR Forecast 2022
      • HR Forecast 2021
      • HR Forecast 2020
      • HR Forecast 2019
      • New Age Learning
      • Coaching and Training
      • Learn-Engage-Transform
    • Magazine
    • Reports
      • Whitepaper
        • HR Forecast 2024 e-mag
        • Future-proofing Manufacturing Through Digital Transformation
        • Employee Healthcare & Wellness Benefits: A Guide for Indian MSMEs
        • Build a Future Ready Organisation For The Road Ahead
        • Employee Experience Strategy
        • HRKatha 2019 Forecast
        • Decoding and Driving Employee Engagement
        • One Platform, Infinite Possibilities
      • Survey Reports
        • Happiness at Work
        • Upskilling for Jobs of the Future
        • The Labour Code 2020
    • Conferences
      • Rising Star Leadership Awards
      • HRKatha Futurecast
      • Automation.NXT
      • The Great HR Debate
    • HR Jobs
    WhatsApp LinkedIn X (Twitter) Facebook Instagram
    HR KathaHR Katha
    Home»News»Parliament passes bill to enhance maternity leave to 26 weeks, EY follows suit
    News

    Parliament passes bill to enhance maternity leave to 26 weeks, EY follows suit

    mmBy Prajjal Saha | HRKathaMarch 10, 20173 Mins Read8412 Views
    Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
    Share
    LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

    The new maternity benefits apply for up to two surviving children.

    Bringing a long-pending proposal into action, the Lok Sabha, yesterday passed the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016, increasing the maternity benefits from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.

    The official press release by the Ministry of Labour & Employment, said that the amendment “includes increasing maternity benefit to woman covered under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 from 12 weeks to 26 weeks up to two surviving children in order to allow the mother to take care of the child during her/his most formative stage”.

    In addition, the new benefits also provide a maternity benefit of 12 weeks to commissioning mothers and adopting mothers, facilitating ‘work from home’ to a mother with mutual consent of the employee and the employer, making it mandatory in respect of establishments having fifty or more employees , to have the facility of crèche—either individually or as a shared common facility— within such a distance as may be prescribed by rules. The women are to be allowed four visits to the crèche daily, including the interval for rest allowed to them. Also, every establishment is to intimate in writing and electronically to every woman, at the time of her initial appointment, about the benefits available under the Act.

    The Bill was presented in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, Bandaru Dattatreya. The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 had already been passed by the Rajya Sabha on August 11, 2016.

    These changes will have a major impact on the health, well-being and growth of the future generation of the country. “It will also have a positive impact on women’s participation in the labour force and will improve the work-life balance of women workers,” the release mentioned. The Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Act, 2016 will come into force only after the President’s assent.

    Expressing delight, Women and Child Development Minister, Maneka Gandhi hailed the passage of the new Maternity Bill. She wrote a message on Change.org addressing the women who had petitioned her on the issue, “This is a historic decision taken by our government. I had requested the Minister for Labour to make these changes in relevant laws and I am grateful to him for taking up my request. While congratulating all working women who are planning to have a child, I assure you that we will continue to work for women in the country,” she said.

    In line with the Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Act, 2016, EY India also announced its new maternity benefits increasing the maternity leave to 26 weeks from 12 weeks, for up to two children. It also allows paid adoption leave of 12 weeks for those adopting a child below the age of three months and of six weeks to those adopting a child older than three months and up to five years. In addition, a commissioning mother is entitled to 12 weeks’ leave.

    Maternity Benefits maternity leave
    Share. LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
    mm
    Prajjal Saha | HRKatha

    Dr. Prajjal Saha, editor and publisher of HRKatha since 2015, leverages over 25 years of experience in business journalism, writing, and editing. He founded HRKatha to provide insightful analysis on the evolving workplace. With expertise spanning HR, marketing, distribution, and technology, Saha has a deep understanding of business dynamics. His authorship of the acclaimed Marketing White Book highlights his versatility beyond HR. A trusted voice across industries, his clear and thoughtful commentary has earned him a reputation for thought leadership, making him a reliable source of knowledge and insights for professionals navigating the complexities of the business world.

    1 Comment

    1. Kishor on March 26, 2017 6:40 am

      My wife is on maternity leave from 1/02/2017.She is employed in private engg college as lecturer.whether she will get benefit of extended maternity leave.employer is asking for gazette copy.plz guide.

      Reply
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    five × five =

    Related Posts

    Centre rolls out digital service books for all government employees

    July 9, 2025

    ZS to hire 4,000 globally; strengthens GCC operations in India

    July 9, 2025

    Himachal Pradesh expands paramedical education to address healthcare staff shortage

    July 9, 2025

    Sudden layoffs at startup spark social-media outrage

    July 9, 2025

    QUICK HR INSIGHTS

    EDITOR'S PICKS

    The 5-to-9 Trap: Is Gen Z’s quest for perfect evenings fuelling a new burnout?

    July 9, 2025

    How AI is creating a workforce of the mentally walking dead

    July 8, 2025

    The tortoise and the hare: Which leadership style conquers chaos?

    July 4, 2025

    The heart versus the head: Why startups struggle to balance culture and capability

    July 3, 2025
    Latest Post

    Centre rolls out digital service books for all government employees

    News July 9, 2025

    The Central government has mandated the implementation of digital service books across all ministries and…

    ZS to hire 4,000 globally; strengthens GCC operations in India

    News July 9, 2025

    In response to the growing global demand for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), ZS, a management…

    Himachal Pradesh expands paramedical education to address healthcare staff shortage

    News July 9, 2025

    In a major step toward strengthening its healthcare system, the Himachal Pradesh government has announced…

    Sudden layoffs at startup spark social-media outrage

    News July 9, 2025

    A sudden round of layoffs at a tech startup has triggered widespread backlash on social…

    Asia's No.1 HR Platform

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram LinkedIn WhatsApp Bluesky
    • Our Story
    • Partner with us
    • Career
    • Reach Us
    • Exclusive Features
    • Cover Story
    • Editorial
    • Dive into the Future of Work: Download HRForecast 2024 Now!
    © 2025 HRKatha.com
    • Disclaimer
    • Refunds & Cancellation Policy
    • Terms of Service

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.