All staff of unaided educational institutions in Kerala will now get maternity benefits

With this, women staff of private educational institutions can get paid maternity leave for 26 weeks (six months), along with financial assistance from the management.

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Terming it a Women’s Day gift, the Kerala government implemented maternity benefits for all staff members of private educational institutions in the state. With this, Kerala has become the first state in the country to implement maternity benefits to employees of private educational institutions.

Teaching and non-teaching staff of private sector educational institutions in Kerala can again avail the maternity benefits that were given to government staff. It was on Saturday that the state government issued a final notification regarding the inclusion of unaided educational institution staff for maternity benefits.

With this, paid maternity leave for 26 weeks (six months) can be availed by women staff of private educational institutions, along with financial assistance from the management. The management running the institution will have to provide financial aid of Rs 3,500 to women employees during maternity leave.

Kerala had in August 2019 taken the decision, but it finally got implemented now after the Centre sanctioned the decision.

“It is the first time in the country that a state government is implementing such a decision including unaided school staff for maternity benefit. At present, employees of private institutions are not included in this. The decision was taken and we approached the Centre, following the demand of thousands of women employees who work in the unaided educational sector in the state,” TP Ramakrishnan, Minister for Labour wrote on Facebook. He said that this was a Women’s Day gift from the Kerala government.

The minister also said that the implementation comes ahead of passing the Bill regarding fixing minimum wages for the staff of private educational institutions.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, “Our society will progress only if women are free and without fear. So we will be there in the forefront against the atrocities faced by women.”

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