26-week maternity leave for women contract employees

26-week maternity leave for women contract employees

What has happened?

In a significant verdict, the Kerala High Court has ruled that women contract employees working in government funded projects are entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave as applicable to women employees under the service rules.

Kerala’s view

The State government contended that the petitioners were not entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave as provided in the Maternity Benefit Act or 180 days of leaves provided under the Kerala Service Rules, as the petitioners were contract employees under a project under the centrally-sponsored scheme.

Court Observed

The court observed that the inalienable obligations of maternity “should not and cannot be a reason to deny equal opportunities to women employees”