Amendments To Maternity Benefit Act 1961 Comes Into Force

The following amendments to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, by virtue of the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, have come into force with effect from April 1, 2017:

• The maximum period for which a woman employee is entitled to payment of maternity benefit is now increased to 26 weeks (instead of the earlier 12 weeks). Further, not more than 8 weeks will precede the date of expected delivery (instead of the earlier 6 weeks). However, such extended benefit will only be given to a woman employee for her first two deliveries. A woman employee having two or more surviving children would be entitled to maternity benefit as per the earlier provisions, that is, a maximum period of 12 weeks of which not more than 6 weeks will precede the date of her expected delivery.