Maternity Benefit During COVID 19 lock down period - employer has to pay or any new changes?

Hi,
I on maternity leaves from 1st Jun 20 to 30th Nov 20....delivered baby in July 20 and my HR head sent an circular in the month of May 20 stated that due to covid 19 penedmic company will deduct 15% amount on CTC from all employees salary till April 21 and now I am also getting the same salary after deduction of 15% and have not received any medical bonus..I want to know is it right or wrong??
Because as per maternity benifit act the company can not make any deduction on employee CTC. I am not under ESI benefit... Please help what I have to do.

Hello Vijetasingh,

What your employer has done is illegal. Did you say 15% on CTC, are you sure is't on CTC? Can you share your CTC gross?

Presumably, your Co would have observed complete lockdown during April-May. Is't so?

I believe your Co should have resumed to full capacity operations now after pandemic lockdown. Or still under partial lock down?

You may send a request letter to 'reconsider' their action of imposing 15% cut and relax the same restoring to 100% and release payment of Maternity bonus considering your addl.expenses on a/c of confinement, post-natal complications & care. Let us see what is their response. Have you resumed duty?, no, as you are still on ML till end Nov. Why not covered under ESI is it not applicable or they simply left it like that come what may.

Pl.observe all formalities, documentation required under the MB Act. If possible, you can also opt for WorkFromHome to gain their goodwill & share the workload to some extent.