Empirical Study On Effectiveness Of The Implementation Of The Maternity Leave On Private Higher Educational Institutions

Abstract

Studies on the impact of maternity benefits on fertility, infant/child health, and women's labour force participation in developing countries are few and conflicting. However, understanding the implementation of maternity benefits is critical, since such policies have the potential to considerably enhance the well-being of women and children. In acknowledgment of the essential role played by women, governments must shift away from archaic legislation and fight for social justice, both in the organised and unorganised sectors. The Maternity Benefits Act of 1961, as amended, exemplifies the principle of social justice. Maternity Benefits should try to limit women's employment in specified institutions during specific periods before and after delivery, in addition to providing maternity and other benefits. Maternity has long been seen as a handicap condition that precludes women from working during the weeks before and after delivery. After the establishment of the wage labour system in industrial operations, many employers inclined to terminate the services of female employees when they realised that pregnancy interfered with the performance of ordinary responsibilities by female workers. As a consequence, in order to preserve their employment, many female employees were obliged to take unpaid vacation during this time period. The purpose of this research study is to examine the implementation of maternity leave in private higher educational institutions in Himachal Pradesh. This study's sample consists of 35 randomly chosen female workers from private higher educational institutions in Himachal Pradesh. The primary goal of the study is to identify the challenges that women confront while leaving for or returning from maternity leave, as well as to assess the degree of knowledge among female workers about the current regulation on maternity leave.