Tamil Nadu extends maternity leave for third child to 365 days

The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced that women employees will be entitled to 365 days of maternity leave for the birth of their third child, extending the current benefit of 12 weeks.

The move brings maternity leave for the third child on par with the 365 days currently available to eligible women government employees for their first two children.

At present, married women government employees with fewer than two surviving children are entitled to 365 days of maternity leave, while those with two or more surviving children can avail themselves of up to 12 weeks of leave.

During the demand for grants for his department in the state Assembly, Minister for Human Resources Management D Sarathkumar said the government had decided to extend the benefit as part of its focus on social welfare and women's empowerment.

“Under these circumstances, as the Tamil Nadu government is a welfare-oriented administration prioritising social welfare and women's empowerment, the maternity leave currently provided for the third child of female government employees will be enhanced from 12 weeks to 365 days,” Sarathkumar said.

The duration of maternity leave for government employees in Tamil Nadu has been progressively increased over the years. The original 90-day provision was raised to six months in 2011, nine months in 2016 and then to one year, or 365 days, in July 2021.

Under the existing eligibility framework, the 365-day maternity leave applies to regular women employees with fewer than two surviving children, a government source said.

However, following directives from the Supreme Court and subsequent amendments by the state government, women employees with two or more surviving children remain entitled to 12 weeks, or 84 days, of maternity leave with full pay.

A senior government official said a detailed government order will be issued shortly to implement the announcement made in the Assembly.