Child Care Leave for Mothers of children with disabilities made more friendly

Dear Friends,

Some good news for the Government Employee Mothers with disabled children. The child care leave rules have been relaxed. Earlier the leave rules permitted women employees to avail CCL of 730 days (2 years) in their entire service up to two children till their  children were 18 years which is now extended to 22 years of age for the mothers of children with disability.

For those of you wanting to preserve a copy of the DoPT Memo  No.13018/6/2009-Estt.(L) dated 03rd March 2010, click the link to download the same. Download earlier leave Rule dated 29 September 2008 here. 

However, I have a problem with the process of such revision in the Rules even if the revision is progressive. Often the rules are relaxed on adhoc basis on reciept of some representation without thinking in larger context. Such progressive decisions could benefit many more than just mothers of children with disability up to 22 years of age!

I raise this point because I find there are several others who deserve & would greately benefit from such a progressive provison. Our experience tells us that mothers continue to care for their disabled children even after 22 years of age, also often the need of care becomes crucial if there is a member with major support needs or with mental illness in the family. And its not mother alone, it could be father, brother, sister & spouse too!

Therefore, in such scenario, it would be prudent and more justified to extend this to all such stakeholders. Also the age bar of 22 years would become redundant for other disabilities where the member may be needing life long support. That is why it is always important and logical to involve stakeholders and organisations working on the subject or representing the interests of stakeholders to come to a reasonable and benefit-all amendment in the existing rules. Organisations of parents, families with disabled members or those specialising on the support networks might have additional views on this which could be heard by the Government.

We hope the DoPT or any other similarly placed organisation would  consider this while taking such progressive decisions.

regards
Subhash C. Vashishth

To read the news article from source click here: 
Leave Rules Relaxed for Mothers of Disabled Children

New Delhi: The government has relaxed the age restriction on childcare  leave (CCL) given to women employees with disabled children. In ordinary circumstances, women can avail the special two-year CCL till their children are 18. After the extension, mothers of disabled children can  avail the leave till their children are 22.

The department of personnel and training (DoPT) passed the order after getting requests from mothers that the age restriction be relaxed for disabled and mentally-challenged children. "We consulted the finance ministry and decided to permit CCL to women with disabled children till they are 22," a DoPT circular said.

Mothers of children with a minimum disability of 40% are entitled to this, but only if the child is dependent on her. Disabilities included mental retardation,locomotor/orthopaedic disability, visual disability, speech and hearing disability.

The government had announced the childcare leave in the Sixth Pay Commission. The leave is for the entire service period and can be taken whenever the employee thinks fit, especially when the child is sick or is appearing for an exam.

During the leave period, the employee is entitled to get salary equal to what she was getting before going on leave. Besides, the Centre gives extra benefits to disabled women. For two years, they are paid Rs1,000 over and above their gross salary as childcare allowance.