7th Pay Commission: Good news! Panel recommends 'child care leave' for single parent

New Delhi, Nov 23: There is a good news in the offing for single fathers. Reportedly, Seventh Pay Commission in its report has recommended child care leave (CCL) for single male parent.

At present the leave is being given to only women government employees for a maximum period of two years (730 days). "The Commission notes that in the event a male employee is single, the onus of rearing and nurturing the children falls squarely on his shoulders," Pay Commission said in its report.

"Hence extension of CCL to single male parents is recommended," the report further said.

Women staffs currently get this leave for taking care of their minor children (up to eighteen years of age). The Pay Commission, headed by Justice A K Mathur, submitted its recommendations to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday.

It also recommended CCL at 100 per cent of the salary for the first 365 days and 80 per cent for the next 365 days.

CCL was first introduced by Sixth Central Pay Commission.

The report also said there is a "palpable need" to bring in some inhibiting feature so as to ensure that only genuinely affected employees avail of this scheme.

"Towards this end, the Commission recommends that CCL should be granted at 100 per cent of the salary for the first 365 days, but at 80 per cent of the salary for the next 365 days," the report said.

The Pay Commission recognises the additional responsibility on the shoulders of employees who are single mothers, the report added.

"Accordingly, it is recommended that for such employees, the conditionality of three spells in a calendar year should be relaxed to six spells in a calendar year," the 900-page report said.

In making the recommendation, the Seventh Pay Commission said it has also kept in mind the fact the concept of a paid (whether 100 per cent or 80 per cent) leave solely for child care for a period of two years "is a liberal measure unmatched anywhere else".

OneIndia news
(with inputs from PTI)