According to an order from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, the Central government has decided to give female employees of the Central government a 60-day special maternity leave if they experience the “death of a child soon after birth / stillbirth” under specific circumstances.
The decision was made after taking into account the profound effects on a mother’s life that stillbirth or the death of a child soon after birth have.
The decision has been made to give a female central government employee a special maternity leave of 60 days, according to a statement from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions. “Keeping in view the potential emotional trauma caused due to stillbirth or death of a child soon after birth, which has a far-reaching impact on the mother’s life, it has now been decided,” the statement read.
The following conditions must be met for the leave to be granted:
(1) If a female Central Government employee has already taken maternity leave and her leave continues until the date of the child’s early death or stillbirth, the maternity leave already taken up until the child’s death may be converted into any other kind of leave available in her leave account without requiring a medical certificate, and a Special Maternity Leave of 60 days may be granted beginning on the date of expiration.
(ii) If a female Central Government employee has not used her maternity leave, she may be eligible for a 60-day Special Maternity Leave starting on the date of the child’s premature birth or stillbirth.
(iii) Up to 28 days after delivery may be used to determine the condition for a child’s death soon after birth.
(iv) A stillbirth is when a baby is born at or after 28 weeks of gestation with no indications of life.
(v) The benefit of Special Maternity Leave is only available to female Central Government employees who have fewer than two living children, and it can only be used for childbirth at an approved hospital.
(vi) A government hospital or a private hospital that has been appointed to the Central Government Health Scheme is considered a “authorised hospital” (CGHS).
Production of an emergency certificate is required in cases of emergency deliveries at non-preferred private hospitals.
“With effect from the date of issuance of this O.M., these orders shall apply to Government personnel appointed to the civil services and posts associated with the operations of the Union of India pursuant to Rule 2 of the CCS (Leave) Rules 1972. There is no need to reopen cases that have already been resolved in the relevant Ministries or Departments “The ruling went on to say.
