Chennai: Days after an announcement was made in the assembly to increase the maternity leave for government employees from nine months to 12 months, the Tamil Nadu government has sent a letter confirming the hike in maternity leave period to all department heads and secretaries.
A report in Times of India said that the letter was issued from the office of the Chief Secretary on Friday. An announcement in this regard was made by Tamil Nadu finance minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan during the assembly session in August and a government order was passed on August 23.
“The maternity leave admissible to married women government servants with less than two surviving children, which is nine months at present, be enhanced to 12 months with effect from July 1, with full pay, which may be spread over from the pre-confinement rest to post confinement recuperation, at the option of the women government servants,” the letter stated, according to the report.
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Women employees who went on maternity leave before July 1 and continue to be on leave till now can also avail maternity leave for a period not exceeding 365 days in total, the letter said and added that employees who rejoined office between July 1 and August 28 after nine months of maternity leave can also avail leave for three more months, the report said.
Quoting an unidentified official, the report said that even though Tamil Nadu has been providing cash benefits, free vaccination and nutrition supplement to mothers and babies, many are struggling to take care of the babies.