Odisha government offers maternity and paternity leave for surrogacy: Key details

The Odisha government has announced that its employees will receive maternity and paternity leave benefits if they opt for surrogacy. This decision was outlined in a notification issued by the state Finance Department.

Female employees who become surrogate or commissioning mothers can take 180 days of maternity leave. Male employees who become commissioning fathers are entitled to 15 days of paternity leave within six months of the child's birth. These benefits apply to employees with fewer than two surviving children.

A commissioning mother is defined as a biological mother whose egg is used to create an embryo implanted in another woman. A commissioning father is the biological father of a child born through surrogacy.

Key Details:

• Maternity leave of 180 days for female employees opting for surrogacy
• 15 days of paternity leave for becoming 'commissioning fathers' through surrogacy
• Leave benefits applicable for both surrogate mothers and commissioning mothers
• Commissioning parents must have less than two surviving children to be eligible for the leave benefits
• Documentation including a surrogacy agreement and medical records is required

The notification said, “A state government female employee, having less than two surviving children, who becomes a surrogate mother, will be eligible for maternity leave of 180 days.”

For documentation, commissioning parents must present a surrogacy agreement and medical records from registered doctors or hospitals. Both surrogate mothers and commissioning mothers employed by the state can each claim 180 days of maternity leave.

This move mirrors a similar decision by the central government, which extended these leave benefits to its employees who attain parenthood through surrogacy.