In 2017, Parliament passed the Maternity Benefit Amendment Bill, which has increased the number of paid maternity leaves for working women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. Though considered it a great move, some were apprehensive about the impact of the bill on employees and employers. Let’s understand how the maternity amendment bill has been impacting employees and employers and what future impact it will have.
Impact on employees
- Stress-free motherhood: It helps to ensure that women are returning to the workplace more comfortably after the delivery and settling-in of the newborn baby at the home front.
- Lower female mortality rate: The bill will ensure a positive impact on the health of the mother and thus, lower the female mortality rates. As new mothers get enough time, they can take good care of themselves and their newborns.
- Flexible working hours: On the basis of the nature of work, women employees will get work from home option after the expiry of 26 weeks’ leave tenure on terms mutually decided with the employer.
Thanks to the Maternity Amendment Bill, there is an increase in the number of women wishing to work. Many of these deterred from doing it in the absence of maternity leave benefits. Also, the bill has made a provision for paternity leave policy as well.
Impact on employers
While, on the one hand, the maternity amendment bill encourages women’s participation in the workforce. It also had a major impact on employers as well. The bill continues to encourage an increase in the number of women employed in SME and start-up sectors. Despite the fact that these fields often can’t afford six to nine months of absence of women employees.
It is a harsh reality that the job industry has been male-dominated and has developed a patriarchal approach. It means, women of marriageable age or newly married women were under consideration for key roles and promotions. As per the report published by the International Labour Organisation in 2016, women’s labour force participation in India dropped from 35% to 25% between 2004-11.
As a result, women who are of marriageable age and not yet married, have good chances of employment and growth.
However, it may have a negative impact on a company if their women employees misuse this benefit. By being in employment till they conceive, getting the maternity benefits, and not rejoining after that. It can cause major financial blows to such companies who may have to find replacements.
As the bill has made it mandatory to have a creche facility in every establishment where the number of employees is over 50. It will put extra financial pressure on the company who now has to either start a creche facility or tie-up with nearby creche centres.
For those companies which are already offering group health insurance cover, this new bill puts extra pressure on their finances.
The Final Verdict
While the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act is a good move, it is necessary to expand the billing coverage to include unorganised sectors as well. Moreover, the bill should ensure that the burden to provide maternity benefits should not impose on employers only. And would be good if employers shared employees and the government to varying degrees. If exercised properly, the company can attract a talented pool of women employees by offering them exciting benefits. Moreover, even if the company is offering basic coverage of employees’ health insurance, it can expand the gamut of its benefits by making extra provisions for its women employees.
Additional Read: What are maternity benefits available in group health insurance plans?
Most importantly, the maternity amendment bill should have an anti-discrimination clause. In order to ensure that the recipients of the benefits under the bill are not discriminated against on the grounds of sex, pregnancy, family responsibilities in any aspect of employment.
The Scandinavian and Nordic countries adopted a social insurance model. Where the burden of giving benefits is not the responsibility of the employer only. And these nations also recognise parental and paternity leaves along with maternity leaves. The two important lessons for India from the models in these nations is that parenting isn’t only a woman’s responsibility. Therefore, the obligation to support employees with family responsibility should also be shared. In the absence of it, the gender gap is likely to widen.
