The Government of India has notified The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2016 Act on 28th March, 2017. The Amendment Act received the assent of President of India on 27th March, 2017.

• The Maternity Benefit Act protects the employment of women during the time of her maternity and entitles her of a „maternity benefit‟ i.e. full paid absence from work to take care for her child.
• The Act is applicable to all establishments employing 10 or more persons.
• The amended Act will increase the leave available to the working women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for the first two children.
• Limits maternity leave for children beyond the two to 12 weeks.
• Maternity leave of 12 weeks to be available to mothers adopting a child below the age of three months as well as to the “commissioning mothers”.
• Every establishment with more than 50 employees to provide for crèche facilities for working mothers.
• Mothers will be permitted to make four visits during working hours to look after and feed the child in the crèche.
• The employer may permit a woman to work from home if it is possible to do so.
• Every establishment will be required to make these benefits available to the women from the time of her appointment.