Section-5 Right to payment of maternity benefits
Section-5 Right to payment of maternity benefits
4[(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, every woman shall be entitled to, and her employer shall be liable for, the payment of maternity benefit at the rate of the average daily wage for the period of her actual absence, that is to say, the period immediately preceding the day of her delivery, the actual day of her delivery and any period immediately following that day.]
Explanation: For the purpose of this sub-section, the average daily wage means the average of the woman's wages payable to her for the days on which she has worked during the period of three calendar months immediately preceding the date from which she absents herself on account of maternity, 12[the minimum rate of wage fixed or revised under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (11 of 1948) or ten rupees, whichever is the highest].
(2) No woman shall be entitled to maternity benefit unless she has actually worked in an establishment of the employer from whom she claims maternity benefit, for a period of not less than13[eighty days] in the twelve months immediately preceding the date of her expected delivery:
PROVIDED that the qualifying period of 13[eighty days] aforesaid shall not apply to a woman who has immigrated into the State of Assam and was pregnant at the time of the immigration.
Explanation : For the purpose of calculating under this sub-section the days on which a woman has actually worked in the establishment, 14[the days for which she has been laid off or was on holidays declared under any law for the time being in force to be holidays with wages] during the period of twelve months immediately preceding the date of her expected delivery shall be taken into account.
15[(3) The maximum period for which any woman shall be entitled to maternity benefit shall be twelve weeks of which not more than six weeks shall precede the date of her expected delivery:]
PROVIDED that where a woman dies during this period, the maternity benefit shall be payable only for the days up to and including the day of her death:
15[PROVIDED FURTHER that where a woman, having been delivered of a child, dies during her delivery or during the period immediately following the date of her delivery for which she is entitled for the maternity benefit, leaving behind in either case the child, the employer shall be liable for the maternity benefit for that entire period but if the child also dies during the said period, then, for the days up to and including the date of the death of the child.]
Comment: The provisions of S. 5 of the Act quoted above make it clear that a woman worker who expects a child is entitled to maternity benefits for a maximum period of twelve weeks which is split up into two periods viz. pre-natal and post-natal. The first one i.e. pre-natal or ante-natal period is limited to the period of woman's actual absence extending upto six weeks immediately preceding and including the day on which her delivery occurs and the second one which is post-natal compulsory period consists of six weeks immediately following the day of delivery. B. Shah v. Presiding Officer, Labor Court Coimbatore, AIR 1978 SUPREME COURT 12
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