Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday laid down clear guidelines with regards to maternity leave for its women employees, providing clarity in complex situations while removing ambiguity around eligibility for the same.
The CMO, in a release, said that maternity leave of 180 days can be availed three months before the expected delivery date and within six months after the delivery date. It can be taken continuously in one go or in multiple phases. However, childbirth must take place in a recognised medical facility.
Specific rules have also been set in cases where a female government employee was not in service at the time of childbirth but joined later, as well as in cases of miscarriage, death of a newborn, or stillbirth.
THE NEW GUIDELINES
1- A female government employee can avail 180 days of maternity leave starting three months before the expected delivery date (EDD) and within six months after the delivery date.
2- If a female government employee was not in service at the time of childbirth and joined later, she can avail maternity leave until her child is six months old. In such cases, the maternity leave may be less than 180 days.
Example: If a female employee’s delivery date is April 1, 2025, her child will complete six months on September 27, 2025. If she joins government service on June 19, 2025, and applies for maternity leave, she will be eligible for maternity leave from June 20, 2025, to September 27, 2025 (i.e., only 100 days).
3- If a female government employee experiences a miscarriage, the death of a newborn (within 28 days of birth), or a stillbirth (after 28 weeks of pregnancy), her maternity leave will extend up to 42 days from the date of the incident.
However, if the child’s death occurs between 29 and 120 days after birth, the maternity leave will extend for 14 days from the date of the incident. If her maternity leave period has already ended, she will be entitled to 14 days of special maternity leave. If the maternity leave period is set to end within 14 days of the incident, she will be entitled to special maternity leave for the remaining days up to 14.
Examples: A female government employee with an expected delivery date (EDD) of June 30, 2025, takes maternity leave from April 1, 2025, due to medical complications. If a stillbirth occurs on June 1, 2025, she can avail maternity leave until July 12, 2025 (42 days from the incident).
If a female government employee’s delivery date is April 1, 2025, and her newborn dies on April 28, 2025, she can avail maternity leave until June 8, 2025 (42 days from the incident).
If a female government employee’s delivery date is April 1, 2025, and her newborn dies on May 1, 2025 (28 days after birth), she can avail maternity leave until May 14, 2025 (14 days from the incident).
If a female government employee starts maternity leave on January 31, 2025, with a delivery date of April 1, 2025, and her newborn dies on July 29, 2025 (120 days after birth and the last day of her maternity leave), she can avail maternity leave until August 12, 2025 (14 days from the incident).
If a female government employee takes maternity leave from February 7, 2025, to August 5, 2025 (six months) with a delivery date of April 1, 2025, and her newborn dies on July 29, 2025 (120 days after birth and on the 173rd day of her maternity leave), she can avail maternity leave until August 12, 2025. In this case, her total maternity leave will be 187 days (from February 7, 2025, to August 12, 2025).
The release further clarified that this maternity leave is applicable for female government employees with less than two children.
If a female government employee is promoted to a higher position during her maternity leave, her joining report (hard or soft copy) for the higher position will be considered effective on the day it is received by the appropriate authority. She can continue her remaining maternity leave uninterrupted, it added.
