anish-mathew1
Hi All,
what does 12 months preceding the date of her expected delivery means in maternity leave policy, does it means that she has to work in an organisation for 1 complete year to get her maternity benefits ?
And if she has completed her 80 working days in an organization but has not completed 1 year ,will she be eligible for the benefits of maternity paid leaves.
Thanks,

From United States, New York
nelsonthomas9102
61

Hi Partner,
For eligibility for maternity leave in India, the employee need not complete 1 year for getting her maternity benefits. It only means that she has to complete at least 80 paid days after joining the company and she can then avail the maternity leave.
Let us assume that she had been on Loss Of Pay for a major period in the last 12 months before the expected delivery date such that she does not have 80 paid days completed, then we have a problem.
The terms here would be similiar to the FMLA policy you have in the US, though not exactly the same in condition.

From India, Bengaluru
Madhu.T.K
4244

The question is whether one has to complete one year (12 months) in order to be eligible for maternity benefits in India and if it is available to one who has joined a few months back and having worked for 80 days? Which is more important? 12 months service or 80 days working? If only 80 days service will qualify for maternity benefits, then what is the meaning of the qualifying phrases, "during 12 months"?
Under ESI Scheme, it is mandatory that she should have worked for two contribution periods (each contribution period is 6 months duration and as such one year)
From the above, my interpretation is that 80 days' working and a service of 12 months immediately preceding the date of delivery are mandatory for maternity benefits. A lady joined three months back and have worked for 80 days will not be eligible for benefits whereas a lady joined 12 months back but has been on leave without pay for various days but have total 80 paid days during this 12 months will be eligible for maternity benefits as per Act.

From India, Kannur
pbskumar2006
590

Dear Friends,
Mr. Madhu is correctly saying , 80 days' working and a service of 12 months immediately preceding the date of delivery are mandatory for maternity benefits. A lady joined three months back and have worked for 80 days will not be eligible for benefits whereas a lady joined 12 months back but has been on leave without pay for various days but have total 80 paid days during this 12 months will be eligible for maternity benefits as per Act. Along the confirmation notice before pregancy is mandatory, accordingly the counting will taken in to consideration.
Maternity Benefits
Maternity Benefit is payable to an Insured Woman in the following cases subject to contributory conditions:-
Confinement-payable for a period of 12 weeks (84 days) on production of Form 21 and 23.
Miscarriage or Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP)-payable for 26 weeks (182 days) from the date following miscarriage-on the basis of Form 20 and 23.
Sickness arising out of Pregnancy, Confinement, Premature birth-payable for a period not exceeding one month-on the basis of Forms 8, 10 and 9.
In the event of the death of the Insured Woman during confinement leaving behind a child, Maternity Benefit is payable to her nominee on production of Form 24 (B).
Maternity benefit rate is 100% of average daily wages.
ప్రసూతి ప్రయోజనాల కోసం 80 రోజుల పని మరియు డెలివరీ తేదీకి ముందే 12 నెలల సేవ తప్పనిసరి. ఒక లేడీ మూడు నెలల క్రితం చేరి 80 రోజులు పనిచేసినప్పటికీ ప్రయోజనాలకు అర్హత ఉండదు, అయితే ఒక లేడీ 12 నెలల క్రితం చేరింది కాని వివిధ రోజులు జీతం లేకుండా సెలవులో ఉంది, అయితే ఈ 12 నెలల్లో మొత్తం 80 చెల్లించిన రోజులు ప్రసూతికి అర్హత పొందుతాయి చట్టం ప్రకారం ప్రయోజనాలు.
గర్భధారణకు ముందు నిర్ధారణ నోటీసు తప్పనిసరి, తదనుగుణంగా లెక్కింపు పరిగణనలోకి తీసుకోబడుతుంది.
ప్రసూతి ప్రయోజనాలు
ప్రసూతి ప్రయోజనం కింది సందర్భాలలో బీమా చేసిన స్త్రీకి కంట్రిబ్యూటరీ షరతులకు లోబడి చెల్లించబడుతుంది:
ఫారం 21 మరియు 23 ఉత్పత్తిపై 12 వారాల (84 రోజులు) కాలపరిమితి-చెల్లించాలి.
గర్భస్రావం లేదా గర్భధారణ తరువాత మెడికల్ టెర్మినేషన్ (MTP) - గర్భస్రావం తరువాత తేదీ నుండి 26 వారాలు (182 రోజులు) చెల్లించవచ్చు-ఫారం 20 మరియు 23 ఆధారంగా.
గర్భం, నిర్బంధం, ఒక నెల మించని కాలానికి అకాల పుట్టుక-8, 10 మరియు 9 ఫారమ్‌ల ఆధారంగా వచ్చే అనారోగ్యం.
ఒక పిల్లవాడిని విడిచిపెట్టిన సమయంలో బీమా చేసిన మహిళ మరణించిన సందర్భంలో, ఫారం 24 (బి) ఉత్పత్తిపై ఆమె నామినీకి ప్రసూతి ప్రయోజనం చెల్లించబడుతుంది.
ప్రసూతి ప్రయోజన రేటు సగటు రోజువారీ వేతనాలలో 100%.
प्रसूति लाभ के लिए 80 दिनों की कामकाजी और 12 महीने की सेवा तुरंत डिलीवरी की तारीख से पहले अनिवार्य है। तीन महीने पहले एक महिला शामिल हुई और 80 दिनों तक काम किया है, जो लाभ के लिए पात्र नहीं होगी, जबकि एक महिला 12 महीने पहले शामिल हुई थी, लेकिन विभिन्न दिनों तक बिना वेतन के अवकाश पर रही, लेकिन इस 12 महीनों के दौरान कुल 80 भुगतान दिवस मातृत्व के लिए पात्र होंगे। अधिनियम के अनुसार लाभ।
गर्भावस्था से पहले पुष्टिकरण नोटिस अनिवार्य है, तदनुसार गणना को ध्यान में रखा जाएगा।
मातृत्व लाभ
मातृत्व लाभ एक बीमित महिला को देय है जो निम्नलिखित मामलों में अंशदायी शर्तों के अधीन है: -
फॉर्म 21 और 23 के उत्पादन पर 12 सप्ताह (84 दिन) की अवधि के लिए कारावास-देय।
गर्भपात या मेडिकल टर्मिनेशन ऑफ प्रेगनेंसी (एमटीपी) -20 से 18 सप्ताह (182 दिन) गर्भपात के बाद की तारीख से फॉर्म 20 और 23 के आधार पर।
गर्भावस्था से उत्पन्न होने वाली बीमारी, कारावास, एक माह से अधिक की अवधि के लिए देय जन्म-देय, फॉर्म 8, 10 और 9 के आधार पर।
एक बच्चे को पीछे छोड़ने के दौरान बीमाकृत महिला की मृत्यु की स्थिति में, मातृत्व लाभ फॉर्म 24 (बी) के उत्पादन पर अपने नामित व्यक्ति को देय है।
मातृत्व लाभ की दर औसत दैनिक मजदूरी का 100% है।
(For my special interest I posted in Telugu and Hindi languages also for our HR fraternity friends)
Regards,
Dr. PBS KUMAR

From India, Kakinada
umakanthan53
6018

Sorry, I wish to differ from the contention of Mr.Madhu. Initially I was also of the same opinion focusing my attention predominantly on the point of subsistence of the contract of employment between the employer and the employee for the determination of continuous service in every labor law prescribing a period of service of 12 months or a certain minimum number of days actually worked within the said 12 months. In this regard, I would like to quote sections 25-B of the ID Act,1947 and 2-A of the P.G Act,1972 which are to a large extent similar in content and scope of interpretation to sec.5(2) of the Maternity Benefit Act,1961. The phrase "Continuous service " commonly occurring in all the above three sections in order to be rendered must no doubt presupposes a contract of employment. However, we all would unhesitantly admit that a contract of employment between a master and servant is not the same thing as rendering continuous service. The two are not synonymous. The emphasis in the same phrase finding place in all the above enactments aiming at to provide a certain statutory benefit to the working class exclusively at the cost of the employer is, therefore, not on the contract of employment subsisting for a period of 12 months but on the certain minimum number of days worked by the employee only. ESI being a scheme of contribution by both the employer and employee can not be compared with the benefits of retrenchment compensation, gratuity and maternity benefit.
In this connection, I would quote the following decision of the honorable Supreme Court in MOHANLAL v BHARAT ELECTRONICS Ltd [ AIR 1981 SC 1253 ]:
".... ... Section 25-B(2) comprehends a situation where a workman is not in employment of 12 calendar months, but has rendered service for a period of 240 days within the period of 12 calendar months COMMENCING and COUNTING BACKWARDS from the relevant date, i.e., the date of retrenchment. If he has, he would be DEEMED to be in continuous service for a period of one year for the purpose of section 25-B and Chapter V-A."
No doubt that the above ratio decidendi squarely applies to the issue of qualifying service for maternity benefit also.
"The 12 months immediately preceding the date of her expected delivery" mentioned in the section indicates the maximum stretch of her employment in the establishment within which the qualifying period of service has to be reckoned by taking into consideration of the interruptions mentioned in the explanation to the section as non-interruptions. Thus, a legal fiction is created by the Act so as to adopt a beneficial construction in tune with the following observations of the Apex Court in Workmen of Dimakuchi Tea Estate v Dimakuchi Tea Estate:
" the words of a statute, when there is a doubt about their meaning are to be understood in the sense in which they best hormonise with the subject of the enactment and the object which the legislature has in view".
Since the provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act,1961 are wholly in consonance with the Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Article 39 and in other Articles, especially Article 42 of the Constitution, holding that a 12 months of employment from the expected date of delivery and not a mere stretch of 80 days within the said 12 months, whether continuous or intermittent, is a precondition for claiming the maternity benefit would defeat the very purpose of this beneficial legislation.

From India, Salem
Madhu.T.K
4244

I appreciate the interpretations given by our learned member, Umakamthan Sir. A very big applause to Sir for clarifying the issue.
From India, Kannur
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