The Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India on 1^st June 2021 issued an advisory to all the State Governments and the Union Territories of the country to encourage the work from home culture for the Nursing mothers for a time period of atleast 1 year. While they give them the quarantine leave they must keep in mind the vulnerability and hardships of the nursing women and their babies amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

The said advisory has been issued under the provisions of section 5(5) of the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 which permits the working women to have a maternity leave. The said Act provides that whenever   chance that the work allotted to the women can be done with the same output by the process of Work from Home then she can do so by availing the Maternity leave from the Employer with the conditions that they both mutually agree upon.

In the light of the same the State governments alongwith the Union Territories were asked to issue orders or advisories to the employers to allow such nurses who are mother to young babies to work from home with ease for a time period of not less than one year from the date when the child was born. Alongwith this the government also protected the working nursing mothers by making their work flexible by WFH mode and also this will help in securing their employment. So by the implementation of this provision will act as an enhancement tool for the participation of women in labour force and ensure a happy workforce.

– Animesh Raizada, Intern – POSHequili