Reliance Industries to Give 12 Weeks Maternity Leave for Mothers Using Surrogates

Reliance Industries will introduce 12 weeks maternity leave for mothers who use surrogates to bear a child.

"With effect from April 1, 2017 there will be extension of maternity leave to 26 weeks (182 calendar days), from 180 days, for regular employees," said RIL’s HR department.

It also extended adoption leave to 12 weeks from 28 days for a woman who adopts a child who is below 3 months old. The maternity leave will be given from the date the child is handed over to the adoptive mother.

The Tata Group is another conglomerate that offers six months maternity leave for mothers who have children through surrogacy.

Microsoft India is another company which offers maternity leave for all new parents- ‘biological as well as this who adopt.We grant leave to commissioning parents along the same lines as to parents who adopt, on a case-to-case basis,” said its HR head Rohit Thakur to Times of India.

Multinationals seem to be ahead of the curve when it comes to granting leave policies. Swedish furniture company IKEA announced its parental leave policy for India before even opening up here. It will give leave to parents who have a child through adoption and surrogacy. Women will be able to work half days for 16 weeks after returning to work.

Other companies which have maternity leave for children borne through surrogacy are Mondelez India Foods, Schneider Electric India, and bio-pharmaceutical services provider Quintiles.

Also Read: Now, 180 Days Maternity Leave To Working Pregnant Women In Uttarakhand