Maternity Leave: The Odisha government has taken a historic decision on Thursday. Taking an important step, the government has announced new provisions for granting maternity leave to employees who become parents through surrogacy.
Under the new policy, female employees of the state government will get 180 days of maternity leave, while male employees will get 15 days of leave. This policy reflects similar provisions already implemented by the central government.
What are the conditions for maternity leave?
An official notification has been issued in this regard, according to which, female state employees who become mothers through surrogacy, called ‘commissioning mothers’, are eligible for 180 days of maternity leave. Any female employee of the state government, who has less than two living children and who becomes a surrogate mother, will be able to take 180 days of leave. Male state employees, or ‘commissioning fathers’, who give birth to a child through surrogacy will be eligible for 15 days of leave. This leave must be taken within six months of the child’s birth and is applicable only then.
The state’s decision is in line with the surrogacy leave provisions of the central government, which were formalised in a notification dated June 18, 2024. The new policy has been widely praised as a very good step towards recognising diverse ways of building families, especially through surrogacy.
What information did the employee welfare department give
A spokesperson for the Odisha employee welfare department said that the inclusion of surrogacy in maternity and paternity leave policies reflects a growing understanding of the diverse ways of becoming a parent. The government’s move ensures that all parents, regardless of the method of having a child, are together during the crucial early months of their child’s life. This policy is expected to provide significant relief to state government employees who become parents through surrogacy.
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