In a major relief to female employees engaged on contract basis, the Haryana government Thursday announced that they too would be entitled to maternity leave.
A letter issued by the state's finance department stated that women employees, whose services have been hired on contract basis in a lawful and authorised manner, shall be entitled to fully paid maternity leave up to a maximum of three months or till the currency of the subsisting contract, whichever is earlier.
A Haryana government spokesman said the eligible women employees shall also be entitled to maternity leave on "without pay basis" up to a further period of maximum of three months or till the currency of the subsisting contract, whichever is earlier.
The benefit under the scheme, however, will be admissible only up to the delivery of the second living child and the head of the concerned department shall be competent to grant maternity leave, it said.