Odisha Govt Issues Clarified Guidelines on Maternity Leave for Women Employees

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has issued a detailed clarification on maternity leave rules for female government employees, aiming to remove confusion over eligibility and duration. The revised guidelines, approved by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, ensure a clear and comprehensive framework to support working mothers across the state’s government departments.

According to a release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), women employees with fewer than two surviving children will be entitled to 180 days of maternity leave, which can be availed starting three months before the Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) and up to six months after childbirth.

The government has also made provisions for women who join government service after childbirth. In such cases, maternity leave can be availed until the child completes six months of age. However, the duration of leave will be calculated based on the remaining period until the child reaches six months.

For instance, if a woman gives birth on April 1, 2025, and joins government service on June 19, 2025, she is entitled to maternity leave from June 20 to September 27, 2025 — a span of 100 days.

Special Provisions for Loss Scenarios

The guidelines also address unfortunate circumstances such as miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death, providing emotional and logistical support:

• In case of miscarriage or stillbirth after 28 weeks, women are entitled to 42 days of maternity leave from the date of the incident.
• If the newborn dies within 28 days of birth, the same 42-day leave applies from the date of death.
• If the child dies between 29 and 120 days after birth, women are entitled to 14 days of additional special maternity leave from the date of the incident.

The rules allow for adjustments based on when the death occurs in relation to the ongoing maternity leave. In some cases, the special leave can be added to the existing leave, ensuring uninterrupted rest and recovery.

Example-Based Clarification

To aid implementation, the CMO provided examples:

• If a woman delivers on April 1, 2025, and her child dies on May 1, she will receive an additional 14 days of maternity leave until May 14, 2025.
• If a stillbirth occurs on June 1, 2025, for a woman whose EDD was June 30, she will be eligible for 42 days of leave from the incident date.
• In cases where the child dies exactly on the last day of the original maternity leave, the woman will be eligible for 14 additional days, extending the leave period accordingly.

Other Key Highlights:

• Maternity leave can be availed in one continuous stretch or in multiple phases.
• The childbirth must take place in a recognized medical facility.
• If a female employee is promoted during her maternity leave, her joining report (submitted physically or digitally) will be deemed valid from the date it is received by the competent authority. She may continue her leave without interruption.