Small Business Dilemma: Are Maternity Leave Benefits Mandatory for Just 5 Employees?

There are only 5 employees in my organization. Is it compulsory to give maternity leave benefits to the employee? What if I want to give her Leave Without Pay (LWP) for the maternity period?

Hi, The Maternity Act covers all establishments that employ 10 or more people and provides for the payment of maternity benefits to female employees. If the number of employees is less than 10, there is no requirement to cover employees under the Maternity Benefit Act. It is not compulsory but optional. On humanitarian grounds, employers may consider it, but it is not a statutory obligation.