Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has clarified maternity leave guidelines for female government employees to eliminate confusion over eligibility and duration.
Under the revised rules, approved by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, women employees are entitled to 180 days of maternity leave for up to two surviving children, with a clear framework now specifying the applicable leave periods.
Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has issued a release in this regard.
With Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s approval, the ambiguities surrounding maternity leave have been resolved as follows:
A female government employee in Odisha is now eligible to take 180 days of maternity leave, which can be availed from three months before the Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) and six months after childbirth.
Women joining government service in Odisha after childbirth can apply for maternity leave until their child reaches six months of age. In such cases, the leave duration will be less than 180 days, based on the remaining time before the child turns six months.
For example, a woman’s delivery date is April 1, 2025, and her child will complete six months on September 27, 2025. If she joins government service on June 19, 2025, and applies for maternity leave, she is eligible for maternity leave from June 20, 2025, to September 27, 2025, which is only 100 days, according to the CMO release.
In cases of miscarriage, stillbirth (after 28 weeks), or the death of a newborn within 28 days of birth, a female government employee in Odisha is entitled to 42 days of maternity leave starting from the date of the incident.
If a child dies between 29 and 120 days after birth, the female government employee is entitled to maternity leave for 14 days from the date of the incident. If her maternity leave period has already ended, she will receive an additional 14 days of special maternity leave. If her maternity leave is set to end within 14 days from the date of the incident, she will receive special maternity leave for the remaining days up to the 14-day limit.
Example 1: A female government employee with an Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) of June 30, 2025, takes maternity leave starting April 1, 2025, three months prior to the EDD, due to medical complications. If she experiences a stillbirth on June 1, 2025, she is eligible for maternity leave for 42 days from that date until July 12, 2025.
Example 2: A female government employee’s delivery date is April 1, 2025. If her newborn child dies on April 28, 2025, she is eligible for maternity leave for 42 days from that date until June 8, 2025.
Example 3: A female government employee’s delivery date is April 1, 2025. If her newborn child dies on May 1, she is eligible for maternity leave for 14 days from that date until May 14, 2025.
Example 4: A female government employee starts her maternity leave on January 31, 2025, with a delivery date of April 1, 2025. If her newborn child dies on July 29, 2025 (120 days after birth and on the last day of her maternity leave period), she is eligible for an additional 14 days of maternity leave from that date, i.e., until August 11, 2025.
Example 5: A female government employee takes maternity leave from February 7, 2025, to August 5, 2025 (six months), with a delivery date of April 1, 2025. If her newborn child dies on July 29, 2025 (i.e., 120 days after birth and on the 173rd day of her maternity leave), she is eligible for an additional 14 days of maternity leave from the date of the incident until August 12, 2025. In this case, her total maternity leave period will be 187 days (from February 7, 2025, to August 12, 2025).
However, the release issued from the CMO office has made it clear that female government employees with fewer than two surviving children are eligible for maternity leave. The childbirth must occur in a recognised medical facility.
If a female government employee is promoted to a higher position during her maternity leave, her joining report (in hard or soft copy) for the higher position will be considered effective on the day it is received by the appropriate authority. She can continue her maternity leave for the remaining period without interruption.
Besides, the release has made it clear that a female government employee may take her maternity leave either continuously in one stretch or in multiple phases as needed.
