States told to encourage employers to allow nursing mothers to work from home

The Maternity Act gives for 26-week paid maternity depart. (Picture supply: Reuters)

The Centre has issued an advisory to all states and Union Territories to encourage employers to permit nursing moms to work at home a minimum of for a interval of 1 12 months from the date of start of the kid in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Within the context of prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, the nursing moms are a extremely weak lot and the necessity to defend this phase of the inhabitants from getting contaminated by the corona virus can’t be overemphasized. Permitting nursing moms to work at home can contribute to defending them and their infants from getting contaminated,” the labour ministry stated within the advisory despatched Tuesday.

The advisory has been despatched maintaining in view the vulnerability of nursing moms and their infants in the course of the Covid pandemic and to avoid wasting them from getting contaminated by the corona virus, an announcement from the ministry of labour and employment stated.

Part 5(5) of the Maternity Profit (Modification) Act, 2017(the Act) gives that the place the character of labor assigned to a lady is of such nature that she might work at home, the employer might enable her to take action after availing of the maternity profit for such interval and on such situations because the employer and the lady might mutually agree.

“Aside from Covid, giving the flexibleness to work at home wherever the character of labor permits to take action, shall allow nursing mom to proceed to stay in employment. Thus, implementation of this provision shall act as an enabling toll in enhancement of participation of girls in labour pressure. This shall additionally contribute to creating a contented workforce,” the ministry stated within the advisory.

The Maternity Act gives for 26-week paid maternity depart.