Employee on maternity leave - will she be eligible for Annual Bonus?

If an employee proceeds on maternity leave will she be eligible for Annual Bonus?

There is no provision in the Payment of Bonus Act to make any deduction in the payment of bonus on account of taking leave of any kind including maternity leave. The amount of bonus payable to an employee for an year depends on the wage/salary earned in the respective accounting year. Leave salary is also earned by the employee with respect to the service and the other eligibility conditions.

Dear Friend,
Please refer to S.14 of the Payment of Bonus Act,1965 relating to "Computation of number of working days". For the purpose of computation of minimum bonus and maximum bonus payable to an employee, as per S.14(d) the period spent on maternity leave with salary or wage during the accounting year should be deemed as the days worked.

Dear Member,
The Maternity Leave with Wage or Salary will not disqualify to receive the bonus. In case the employee is covered under the ESI, the situation will be different. The employer is not under any obligation to treat the benefit received from ESI as Wage/Salary.

One on MB leave is well deserve for annual bonus.