The ministry of labour and employment is going to pay 7 weeks maternity wages to the employers who employ women workers with a monthly gross salary of below 15000 Rs and provides maternity leaves for 26 weeks. The reason behind this is there are several employers who are not employing women workers due to the reason that if they employ women workers then they have to pay maternity wages for 26 weeks. Even though maternity wages are paid by ESIC but still they don’t get services of women workers for these 26 weeks. So in order to avoid this, they are not employing women workers.
This issue has been carried to the ministry of labour and employment, so they are in a plan to reimburse 7 weeks maternity wages to the employers who provide 26 weeks of maternity wages to the women workers of salary below 15000 Rs. If this is implemented then it will definitely motivate employers to employ more women workers.
The estimated budget to implement this scheme is 400 crores, the ministry of labour and employment is in the process to get the required budget, once the budget is arranged then this scheme is going to be implemented.
Brief Notes on Maternity Benefit Scheme 1961
- Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 is applicable to establishments employing 10 or more than 10 workers in Factories, Mines, Plantation, Shops & Establishments and other entities.
- Women employees whose monthly gross salary is below 21000 Rs are eligible for maternity scheme under ESIC, for women workers with above 21000 Rs employer has to pay the maternity wages for 26 weeks.
- Women workers need at least 80 days contribution towards ESI scheme in order to become eligible for maternity leave benefits.
- Women workers can take 8 weeks of maternity leave before the delivery date and 18 weeks after delivery date.
To know more details click on this link how to apply and calculate maternity leave benefits.