Will Maternity Benefits Bill Close the Gender Gap?
Answer: Parliament passed the Maternity (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in March 2017.
Highlights of the Bill
- The Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 provides maternity leave up to 12 weeks for all women. The Bill extends this period to 26 weeks. However, a woman with two or more children will be entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave.
- The Bill introduces maternity leave up to 12 weeks for a woman who adopts a child below the age of three months, and for commissioning mothers. The period of maternity leave will be calculated from the date the child is handed over to ....