NEW DELHI: The city government has issued a clarification regarding the guidelines for grant of maternity leave to ad hoc resident doctors following a notice from the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to ensure that there is no discrimination against anyone when it comes to maternity benefits. The Delhi Medical Association had sought the intervention of DCW in the matter of maternity leave benefits available to ad hoc resident doctors at the Delhi government hospitals.
While the permanent resident doctors are entitled to 180 days of maternity leave, the ad hoc resident doctors are given only 84 days of maternity leave and, in many cases, not even that. Citing this practice inhuman and unjust, the Delhi Medical Association urged the Commission to ensure that the Delhi government hospitals treat ad hoc and permanent resident doctors at par for extending maternity benefits.
The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 mandates 26 weeks of maternity leave for working women as against the earlier 12 weeks mandated in the Act in 1961.
Later, the Department of Health & Family Welfare issued a Corrigendum where it modified the guidelines to incorporate 80 days of work in the 12 months prior to date of delivery.DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal said maternity benefit is a right of every woman.
“Its sad when bureaucrats are negligent in ensuring these rights. This leaves many women shortchanged or running from one office to another seeking what the law provides for them. The DCW shall continue to assist women seek their rights, especially that of maturity benefits,” she said.