Maternity Paternity Leave Policies

Background:

• AMRITA University’s policies and procedures aim to actively support staff members, especially women, and their participation in the workplace so that family life does not become a systemic barrier to career progression for women with children, and for staff members in general.
• Parental leave is time off work to care for a newly born or adopted child below the age of 3 months.

Maternity Leave

1. Permanent, full or part-time female staff members who have been employed by AMRITA for more than 12 months by the expected date of delivery of their baby are entitled to maternity leave.
2. Staff members who are on fixed-term agreements may be eligible for parental leave under the terms and conditions of their contract agreements.
3. Eligible female staff members with less than two surviving children are entitled to maternity leave with a full pay for up to 26 weeks at each instance, of which not more than 8 weeks shall precede the date of delivery.
4. Eligible female staff members with more than two surviving children are entitled to maternity leave with full pay for up to 12 weeks at each instance, of which not more than 6 weeks shall precede the date of delivery.
5. Eligible female staff members who legally adopt a child below the age of 3 months or commissioning mothers, as defined by the Maternity Benefit Act of 1961 amended in 2017, i.e. biological mothers using their eggs to create an embryo implanted in another woman, shall be entitled to maternity benefit for a period of 12 weeks from the date the child is handed over to the adopting mother or the commissioning mother.
6. Staff members returning to work after maternity leave are entitled to resume work in the same or a similar position unless it is a key position which cannot be filled by a temporary replacement or is made redundant.
7. In case of miscarriage or abortion, female staff members are entitled to 42 days of leave in their entire service. An application should be supported by a certificate given by a recognized or registered practitioner. This leave is admissible irrespective of the number of surviving children.
8. In case of an untimely demise of the mother, the maternity benefit shall be payable only for the days up to and including the day of her death. If the child also dies during the said period, maternity benefit shall be availed for the days up to and including the date of the death of the child.
9. If the work assigned to a female staff member is of such nature that she may work from home, AMRITA may allow her to do so after availing of the maternity benefit for such period and provided that the AMRITA and the woman mutually agree on the conditions.

Paternity Leave Policy

1. A maximum of 15 days leave can be granted to a male employee with less than two surviving children in the entire service.
2. Such leave can be taken in the period up to 15 days before delivery or up to 6 months after the date of the delivery of the child.

Procedure

1. Staff members should provide written notice to their immediate supervisor and/or the human resources department 12 weeks prior to the date they intend to take the parental leave.
2. Application for parental leave needs to be accompanied by a supporting medical certificate.

Safety Concerns

We recommend that staff members discuss their needs with their manager. If a pregnant or breastfeeding female staff member is:

1. having difficulty in performing their normal duties; or
2. exposed to a health risk

their manager shall take reasonable measures to try to accommodate the staff member’s requirements.