Urgent Help Needed: What Cash Bonuses Are Offered Under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961?

Subject: Maternity Benefit Act, 1961

Dear Seniors,

What are the cash bonus benefits under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961?

Kindly help me. It's URGENT.

Utpal Parkeh

Dear Utpal Parkeh,

This is to inform you that Cash Bonus Benefit is not defined under this Act, but the Act has provisions on the payment of medical Bonus. Considering that you are looking forward to this section, it is provided hereunder for your ready reference:

8. Payment of medical bonus- Every woman entitled to Maternity benefit under this Act shall also be entitled to receive from her employer a medical bonus of one thousand rupees if no prenatal confinement and post-natal care are provided for by the employer free of charge.

Regards,

R.N. Khola

Dear Utpal,

The maternity benefit is payable to a woman worker at the rate of average daily wages for the period of her actual absence during the benefit period. Wages for this purpose include basic wages, DA, HRA, incentive bonus, and the money value of concessional supply of food grains and other articles.

"AVERAGE DAILY WAGES" means the average of the wages payable to the woman employee for the days on which she has worked during the period of 3 calendar months immediately preceding the date from which she absents herself on account of maternity, the minimum rate of wages fixed or revised under the Minimum Wages Act, or Rs 10/- whichever is the highest. (Sec 5)