Misuse of maternity benefits

sonal shree · #1 31-10-2009, 10:36 AM

Hi all

I need solution to a very sensitive issue. There has been an increasing trend in my organization that the female employees are increasingly misusing the maternity benefits for availing more and more leaves. I will cite one example(there are several others)- a young employee had already availed too may leaves and when we told her that she could not be granted more, she came up with a medical report a few days later that she was pregnant(she was not!) and then upon the leave being granted, came up with another report one month later that there was a miscarriage.
Despite the fact that some of us know that she had been naughty, we cannot do anything as no employee can be denied maternity leave. We cannot prove anything.
Additionally, there are some other employees who are availaing of this leave more than 2-3 times.
Do suggest what to do to avoid maternity leave applications in excess as well as to stop its misuse.

Regards

Sonal

PrathamParekh · #2 31-10-2009, 11:19 AM

hi , i am HR student , may be my suggestion help you
according me make inkind contract with doctor (meternity home) and send your employees (claiming for meternity leave ) for tests to these doctors also , get valid report from these doctors

nisha.jayaraman · #3 31-10-2009, 11:30 AM

Dear Sonal,

Maternity leave sud be provided for twelve weeks and one month for illness occurring from it and an employee can take the twelve week leave before or after the pregnancy or six weeks before and after pregnancy. In that case one can easily identify that if a women is pregnant or not in the seventh month itself , if you feel that she is cheating you and taking leave ask her to get the medical report from a reputed hospital, as they wont provide fake certificate and also please ask them to submit the tablets receipt that she has taken while pregnant.

Another way is frame the maternity leave policy limiting it to maximum of two not more than that in that case they can avail the benefit only up to two babies and not more than that.

sarita_thakur12345 · #4 31-10-2009, 11:31 AM

you can only cross check

but dear is it possible sumbody tells u false for her pregnancyi dun think so

umeshtharkude1 · #5 31-10-2009, 11:35 AM

i think you need to modify your policy. Maternity Leaves need to be taken at the time of Delivery only (i.e. 8th month onwards) unless the case is not very complected. with this term they can't show fake reports.

Umesh

PrathamParekh · #6 31-10-2009, 11:51 AM

but nisha , employee is showing fake reports , the only thing u can do is send that employee to "preffered" (by u) doctor and do cross check

nisha.jayaraman · #7 31-10-2009, 11:54 AM

ya pratham that can also be done but it can be made easy by limiting the maternity policy so that this type of fraudulent activity can be avoided.

PrathamParekh · #8 31-10-2009, 12:00 PM

i agree to this, but what if any employee gives reasons like miscarriage ??

samia qamar · #9 31-10-2009, 12:37 PM

Include a few clauses to the maternity leave policy of your company
1) An employee will be eligible to avail a maternity leave if she has completed a period of 1 year with the company at the time of delivery.
2) An employee will be allowed to avail the maternity leave twice during her tenure with the company.
3) A maternity leave once taken, will not be given the next time until a period of 2 years.
4) An employee will be entitled to 4 weeks maternity leave either in the beginning of 9th month or after delivery.
5) Management has got the discretion to refuse to any such leaves.
6) Proper medical certificate along with pregnancy confirmation test from a recognized diagnostic lab should be attached to the leave application form for approval.

I do not think so that after the formulation of such policy, any employee will mis use and violate the policy.

All the Best

thorat vijay · #10 31-10-2009, 03:15 PM

Its simple...Considering this case pl. send your company doctor Or HR person to the Doctor , whose certificte is attached for medical leave.They can advise the concern Doctor reagrding issueing the false certificate & its consiquences.In this case if proved , the doctors practices will be in question by Govt. authorities......