Can I Take Leave for My Wife's Delivery During My Probation Period? Seeking Advice

Eligibility for Leave During Probation Period

I wish to know if an employee (myself) is eligible to take leave for 5 to 10 days during the delivery of his wife in the 5th month of his probation period (6 months) of the job. I love my wife so much and want to be with her during such a critical period. I'll be very thankful if you provide me with a clear suggestion.

Thanks with regards,
Ashish

Please refer to the Leave Policy of your company and also speak to HR regarding your above-mentioned query. The forum will not be able to assist with the sanctioning of your leave as it purely depends on company policy and humanitarian grounds. In the worst-case scenario, you can opt for LWP/LOP.

Availing Leave During Probationary Period

Your query regarding availing leave during the probationary period has been noted. Employees, including probationers, may apply for a leave of absence due to genuine, unavoidable reasons that require attending to important personal duties, as stated in your case. Such leave is need-based and requires favorable consideration. This type of leave falls under the category of Casual Leave, which is typically for 1 or 2 days. Any progressive modern employer (management) could verify the genuineness of the cause for availing leave as mentioned in the application or through proper information received from the applicant.

There is no restriction on considering and granting a leave of absence, even in a leave-without-pay case during the probationary period. You can convince your employer (leave sanctioning authority) by submitting documents like hospital admission slips.

After all, the humane touch in the employer-employee relationship may not be the first priority in some organizations, yet it is far ahead of whatever comes next.

Regards,
Kritarth Consulting Pvt Ltd

Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Jamshedpur

28-12-13, 11.05 a.m.

I think he is asking about paternity leave, similar to maternity leave. 樂

There is no statutory provision for paternity leave. However, some organizations may grant it as a matter of their leave policy. Therefore, you can go through your leave policy for this.

Regards,
B. Saikumar

Taking Leave During Probation Period

It would be a bad idea to take unauthorized leave during the probation period. You need to personally approach both your HR and your reporting superior with an application for leave in connection with your wife's delivery. You need to take their approval informally before submitting an official application.

Further, you should take leave only during the actual delivery and perhaps one day later, unless you have no one at home to look after her during the immediate post-delivery period. The concept of asking for paternity leave is not looked upon kindly in Indian scenarios.

Thank you for the update, Pon. It appears that the service rules for government employees provide for paternity leave. I understand that central government employees also enjoy this benefit. However, in the context of industrial employment, whether in the private sector or public sector, there is no specific statute similar to the Maternity Benefit Act that grants paternity leave. Therefore, the provision of paternity leave in industrial employment is typically a matter of contractual agreement.

Best regards,
B. Saikumar