Holiday has been declared for the employees. They will get the benefit of 182 days leave. An order has been issued by the ministry for this. Along with this, rules and instructions have also been fixed. Which will be mandatory to follow.
7th pay commission, Employees Holiday: Holiday has been announced for the employees. An order has been issued by the Ministry of Defense for this. Rules and instructions have been fixed under the order issued. Under which women employees will be given the benefit of leave. Along with this, the time limit of leave has also been extended. Employees are to be given the benefit of 182 days leave. These orders have been implemented from March 20.
Leave benefits
The issued order states that the Ministry of Law and Justice vide its Gazetted Notification dated 28.03.2017 has amended the Maternity Benefit Act, 2017. In which, inter alia, the benefit of 26 weeks maternity leave has been provided. The matter relating to the applicability of the Amendment Act to Defense Civilian Women Industrial Employees governed by the Factories Act, 1948 has been under consideration of this Ministry in consultation with the Ministry of Labor and Employment.
Rules and instructions
Subsequently, the Ministry of Labor & Employment vide Office Memorandum dated 07.09.2022 has clarified as under:-
‘The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, u/s 2(1)(a) thereof, applies to an establishment including a factory. Under section 3(f) of the said Act, factory means a factory as defined in clause (m) of section 2 of the Factories Act, 1948 (63 of 1948). In view of the applicability of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 to the factory also, the provisions of the Act, as amended from time to time, shall also apply to the women workers of the factory.
Women industrial workers governed by the Factories Act, 1948 are eligible for the quantum of maternity leave enhanced by the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017. The above clarification of Ministry of Labor & Employment is circulated to all concerned organizations/establishments governed by the Factories Act, 1948 for compliance/implementation. The benefit of 26 weeks Maternity Leave will be applicable from the date of issue of this letter i.e. 20.03.2023.
Those women employees, who have already availed 12 weeks Maternity Leave from the date of issue of this letter, will not be entitled to avail the extended leave of 26 weeks. In addition to this, enhanced maternity benefit will be given to Defense Civilian Women Industrial Employees already under Maternity Leave at the time of issue of this letter.
