Employees of private schools, colleges in Kerala to come under Maternity Benefit Act

In yet another major achievement for Kerala in recent times, the Centre has given approval for the state government's decision to bring employees in the private educational sector including those working in the unaided sector, under the ambit of the Maternity Benefit Act.

With this, Kerala has become the first state to bring private schools and colleges under the ambit of the Act.

The Maternity Benefit Act regulates the employment of women in certain establishments for a specific period before and after child-birth and provides for maternity and certain other benefits.

It provides protection to women during the time of maternity and also gives women the cover of maternity benefit — to be absent from work without loss of pay while taking care of the child. While the original Act of 1961 authorises women paid leave of 12 weeks, the amendment in 2017 extended it to 26 weeks.

A Cabinet meeting of the Kerala government on August 29 decided to seek approval of the Centre to issue notification for bringing employees of private sector under the ambit of the Act.

Minister for Labour TP Ramakrishnan told TNM that with the Centre’s approval, the state government will soon issue an order to implement it.

“The Kerala government has taken a slew of measures to accommodate more women into the workforce and this is one among that. With the strict implementation of Shops and Establishment Act, women working in shops now have the right to sit during work. Kerala is the first in many social development moves. The state provides Rs 2 lakh insurance cover for workers from other states. While minimum daily wage for workers stipulated by the Union government is Rs 150, the Kerala’s government’s stand is that Rs 600 should be given as minimum daily wage,” he said.

"This is the first time in the country that a government is taking the decision to bring teachers of unaided schools under the ambit of the Maternity Benefit Act. Thousands of people are working in the private educational sector in the state. At present, private educational institutions don’t give maternity benefits. The state government considered a request from them, the cabinet took a decision in that direction and sent it for approval of the Union government," a press statement in this regard from the minister’s office said.

"With this, Kerala becomes the first state that will bring private educational sector under this Act. The employees who get cover under the Act will get 26 weeks leave with salary apart from the employer providing Rs 1000 for  treatment needs. The Centre's approval has come at a time when the government has been moving ahead with steps to regularise minimum wages for teachers in the unaided sector,” the statement further says.