Over the issue of non-provision of maternity benefits to their contractual employees, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued notices to the city government’s labour department, services depar
Over the issue of non-provision of maternity benefits to their contractual employees, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued notices to the city government’s labour department, services department and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).
The move came in the wake of the commission receiving a complaint by a contractual employee of the Forensic Science Laboratory under the Delhi government regarding the non-provision of maternity benefits for her during the course of her maternity leave.
“The commission is of the view that the non-payment of maternity benefits to contractual employees is a violation of the Maternity Benefits Act of 1961. In addition, as per the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Municipal Corporation of Delhi v Female Workers (muster roll) and another reported in (2000) 3 SCC 224, it has been held that the Maternity Benefit Act makes no difference between permanent, temporary and contractual employees,” a senior DCW official said.
Earlier, the DCW had issued a notice to the Delhi government’s home department asking it to ensure maternity benefits to the complainant and to issue clear guidelines to all offices under it, detailing the entitlements of a contractual employee under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
