Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has introduced clear guidelines regarding maternity leave for women government employees, aiming to resolve confusion surrounding eligibility and duration of leave under various circumstances.

As per existing rules, a woman government employee is entitled to 180 days of maternity leave for up to two surviving children. However, there was ambiguity about the exact period during which this leave could be availed. With the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi's approval, these doubts have now been addressed through a detailed framework.

Key Highlights of the New Guidelines:

1. Eligibility Period for Maternity Leave: A woman government employee can now avail the 180-day maternity leave between three months before the Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) and six months after childbirth.

2. Leave for Those Joining Service Post-Delivery: If a woman joins government service after childbirth, she can still apply for maternity leave, but only until her child completes six months of age. In such cases, the leave period will be less than 180 days, depending on how much time is left before the child turns six months.

3. Leave Provisions in Case of Miscarriage or Child Loss: In the unfortunate event of a miscarriage, stillbirth (after 28 weeks), or death of a newborn within 28 days of birth, the woman is eligible for 42 days of maternity leave from the date of the incident.

If the child dies between 29 and 120 days after birth, the mother will be granted 14 days of maternity leave starting from the date of the child’s death. If her original maternity leave has ended, these 14 days will be granted as a separate leave period.

The CM’s Office said the new decision will provide clarity to women employees facing complex situations regarding maternity leave and remove longstanding confusion around eligibility after service entry or in case of medical emergencies.