Author: Aathmaja Menon, Student at School of Law, Sastra University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
ABSTRACT
Every woman has the right to receive maternity benefits from her employer at a rate equal to her average daily income for the full time that she was away from work when taking leave in compliance with the Act’s rules. Maternity protection has its own economic advantages. It contributes to protecting women’s and their children’s health, which benefits people, families, businesses, and societies. It also ensures that women may continue to make economic contributions to a nation. This research paper sheds light on the evolution and growth of maternity benefits in India. It goes through the changes in the provisions made under the Maternity Benefit Act. The Act contains the rights and benefits which women are eligible to receive when working for pay in any organisation, whether directly or through an agency. Thus, the paper intends to explain in detail the wide scope of maternity benefits given to pregnant employees. It also discusses the relation between maternity benefits and the India Constitution. It also explains the range in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected the affected maternity benefits. Maternity benefits are not only given in India, but also given to many other countries. The paper also deals with the comparison of maternity benefits in India to that of rest of the world. Every coin has both a positive and negative side. Thus, maternity benefits also have pros and cons to it which will be dealt in the end of this research paper. It is critical to have laws that protect the interests of women in today’s competitive and cutthroat working environment, such as the Maternity Benefit Act.
