No female employee can be employed in any underground working . Every female employee is entitled to a period of not less than 60 consecutive days of maternity leave in respect of each confinement. Confinement means the birth of a child whether alive or dead after 28 weeks of pregnancy. When can the leave be taken A female employee is entitled to commence her maternity leave at any time during the 30 days immediately proceeding her confinement or not later than the day immediately following her confinement. If a female employee takes any leave in excess of the 30 days immediately preceeding her confinement, such excess of leave will not be considered as maternity leave under this Act.
Children means all natural children.
A female employee will only be entitled to the maternity allowance if at the time of confinement she has been so employed by an employer at any time during the 4 months prior to her confinement and has been employed by the employer for a period of not less than 90 days in the 9 months prior to her confinement. A female employee who is about to leave her employment and who knows that she will be confined within 4 months of leaving employment must notify her employer of her pregnancy before she leaves. If she fails to notify her employer she shall not be entitled to maternity allowances. Where an employee is still in employment she is required to notify her employer of her confinement and of the date she intends to commence her maternity leave within a period of 60 days proceeding her expected confinement. If she fails to notify her employer her entitlement to maternity allowance may be suspended until she does so.