Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Child Care Leave - Model application

Dear friends (male colleagues),
I have uploaded a model application for Child care Leave extension to male employees. I think it has to be addressed to the Director (as the letter has been signed by the Director of DOPT). It may be addressed to the Secretary/Joint Secretary or Director (before sending, you may get the opinion of Gconect boarders) as to whom it should be addressed to.

I request everyone concerned to add any other valid points before submission. They may customise the application according to their specific requirement/need.

Pl. do remember that this cannot be said to be leave specific to female (as this is not Maternity Leave which men can never avail) and child care (especially after the child crosses tender age) is the joint responsibility of both the parents.

Pl. do send your representation through proper channel to DOPT. This is only a draft application. Just wait for one week to 10 days for others' opinions and final application to be uploaded. Meanwhile, those who wish to add something may give their opinion in the comments to this posting.

All the best.
Ramnath

MODEL APPLICATION FOR CHILD CARE LEAVE TO BE ADDRESSED TO DOPT

To
The Director (P&A),
Department of Personnel & Training,
New Delhi.

Sir,

Sub: Request for extension of Child Care Leave to male employees – Regarding.
---

Please refer DOPT's Office Memorandum No.13018/2/2008-Estt.(L) dated: 11th September, 2008 granting Child Care Leave & Office Memorandum No.13018/1/2010-Estt. (Leave) dated 7th September, 2010 relaxing the conditions for availing Child Care Leave by female employees of Government of India. In this regard, I submit the following few lines for extension of child care leave to male employees:-

1)Child care is joint/collective responsibility of both men and women especially after child crosses the tender age and hence extension of the same to either of the parents will render justice. By extending the leave only to female employees, the male employees are absolved of their duties/responsibility towards theire children.

2)As per Guardians Act, 1956, father is the primary guardian of the child.

3)Child care leave is an additional facility (unlike maternity leave which can be availed only by the female employees) to take care of children at the time of specific needs like sickness, examination, etc.

4)It is a fact in many of the offices, male employees avail Earned Leave during the examinations/sickness of their chidlren. For instance, in my case, my 2nd daughter has not been in good health since the 1st week of August, 2010 and she had to be admitted at Hospital (proof enclosed) from _____ for treatment. I had to avail Earned Leave for ___ from_____ to____ and visit Doctors for OP treatment on many days in the mornings/evenings frequently.

5)When situation/need being similar irrespective of being male or female parent to take care of children, only male employee has to avail/exhaust Earned Leave in times of need due to lack of such facility. Hence, extension of Child Care Leave to both parents will be of great help to them.

6)Also, there are many male employees who are single(whose wives have expired) or male employees whose wives work in organizations where child care leave is not in existence and extension of child care leave will be be immense help to them.

7)Extension of child care leave to both parents will boost the morale of male employees in the work place as the sense of feeling of being left out will vanish.

Taking these into consideration, it is requested to extend the child care leave to both parents (by including male employees) being better half.

Yours faithfully,

11 comments:

  1. I reproduce shouts of Mr. or Mrs.meh made at 10.58 AM on Sep 29,2010 in chat box of Gconnect.in
    meh: Court will dismiss such petitions citing prerogative of govt 10:58 AM Sep 29, 2010Off

    meh: It will disturb govt' work equilibirium, can't fight on equality on the analogy of Paternity Leave, + many more issues
    Details 10:58 AM Sep 29, 2010Off

    meh: Child Care Leave for Males, success chance is less than 1%

    I give my comments below:
    1) Clarifications issued in November, 2008 by the Government:
    child care leave (stating it can be granted only if it felt that it does not disrupt the smooth functioning of office)

    EL encashment on LTC - waived condition of availing equal no. of EL for encashment on LTC citing practical problems faced by many departments and as LTC can be availed on CL also. Here what is the practical difficulties.
    What must have been the difficulties?

    2) With regard to equlibrium, is the equlibrium not disturbed when women go on leave? Does the work not fall on men? Are men given any additional remuneration for bearing additional burden for 730 days.

    3) Mr.or Mrs.meh, this is totally against Equal remuneration Act. CCL is a kind of remuneration (indirectly given salary for the leave period) in workplace and there should be no discrimination in workplace on the basis of gender (of course this Equal Remuneration Act came into being to protect equal rights for women employees). Now this has become reverse.

    4) What is demanded is not maternity leave (which is exclusive for women) and not paternity leave (which is based on occurance of a particular event).

    5) Examination/sickness of children is common for both parents. If the Govt. had given the age of children upto some tender years of children or max upto 10 years ok (at that point of time proximity of mother is needed the most). But here, it is upto 18 years. Do the children of male employees not fall ill or dont they have examination. Many male employees have to exhaust leave on such occasions while female alone are given. Situations/problems are similar but facility offered is different.

    COURT WILL NOT DISMISS ON THE BASIS OF VIOLATIONS OF PROVISIONS OF EQUAL REMUNERATION ACT.

    Dear friends (male colleagues), dont get discouraged by opinions/comments of any person. Initiate the process. REpresent and see what happens. If not ultimately go to court. There cannot be discrimination on the basis of gender (as this leave is not maternity leave).

    Pl. note that I am not against female colleagues. I have beene facing similar problem and my EL balance has been coming down. Hence, I am making this demand and telling others also to demand.
    FIGHT FOR EQUALITY AND WIN.
    Ramnath

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sir,

    It is absolute right that caring of our child is collective responsibility and the male employee cannot shirk it at any cost. CCL should also be extended to the male employees.

    DOPT would not come forward.

    Let us move an application before Court to seek equality and justice.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I disagree with the statement of Mr. Meh and no judicial forum in the world can dismiss such petition at the time of admission. The Government is supposed to be a model employer and there should not be any discrimination among the employees. Child care leave is not a leave in continuation of maternity leave. There is no question; there is a special provision for maternity leave. But CCL – which is introduced presumably a gift which will derail the gender justice and balance in employment.

    In a country like India, we talk about welfare of the government employees only and we are forgetting the other unorganized Sector where women has to take leave without salary even for delivery . The mind of certain people are so narrowed and are not willing for a healthy debate when such injustice are meted out among the male employees. Some male group will be happy if such leave is given to their better half alone, because in their angle they need not engage any one for cooking during the period in the name of CCL. But the empowerment given to women will be taking back in the name CCL making them a feeling that the child care is there sole responsibility. Now it seems the policy is to disintegrate the unity among employees either in pay fixation or in gender balance/ benefits . Further there is no guarantee about the life span a mother or father. If the mother is not alive due to some misforture, the father will not get such provision of leave to take care of the child. Being a democratic country, we should always keep gender balance, equal pay for equal work, leave entitlement (except maternity leave). If such trend is allowed, in order to please a group, there may be new provisions in future that a particular section of govt. employee can work 6 months in a year and get salary for 12 months.

    First the government employees should be icon for others. Here in unorganized sectors they are not even getting weekly off, no annual leave and other benefits. Among them also there are women. I personally feel the CCL for government employees should be withdrawn. Otherwise ,if the majority so demands and if necessary, the CCL be equally granted for both mother and father without any discrimination.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes. I think when we say equal pay, equal status, equal facilities , similar type of work etc., the leave etc. should also be equal except of course, special type of leave etc (ie.maternity leave etc).

    If required, the entitlement instead of children upto the age of 18 years, it could be 12/14 years for male children and 16 years for Girl children or upto SSC only for both. But the entitlement should be for both male and women employees.

    The argument that CCL should be granted if there is no disruption in the smooth functioning... is not practical actually. Because when women employees want to go on leave, one can not stop them and there will be disruptions and the male employees WILL HAVE to take over the additional work. In fact, NO BODY CAN STOP NOBODY FROM AVAILAING THE LEAVE.

    So, why not the male employees be given similar facilities because they too have such problems while bringing up the children.

    I feel at least (at least) 1 year leave should be given to male employees if they meet other conditions.

    As I had earlier said, the 2 year leave period can be divided depending upon requirement between husband and wife if they both are Govt. servants.

    I also feel that there is no need to go to the Court etc. But to apply only to the Govt. because I have faith that the Govt. will listen to the voice of its employees and take a sympathetic view.

    I AGAIN INSIST WITH THOSE CONCERNED - SIR, PLEASE , PLEASE PROVIDE A FORUM (named 'EMPLOYEES GRIEVANCES') WHERE ANY AND ALL GOVT. EMPLOYEES CAN WRITE THEIR VIEWS- you then HAVE THEM SIFTED ONCE IN A MONTH AND TAKE MEANINGFUL ONES FOR CONSIDERATION.


    Regards

    RKR

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes Mr.Ramnath,

    In my case also, I had to apply leave often to look after my children. Whenever, I apply leave, my boss is snubbing me and keeps the count of my leave, even though the reason I quote in the leave application is to "Look after the Children". Now the quarterly exams Holidays has begun and My wife is not in a position to apply leave, since she has been deputed for training for 2 weeks. Since, my boss is snubbing me, I am also not in a position to apply leave. Now, I locking my Children in the house and going to office. I have to give them call regularly and keep a remote watch over them. To say the truth, I had applied more than 60 days EL this year, mainly for the purpose of taking care of my children. My wife is also employed in Central Government, but could not avail, since she is also attached to HOD.

    Suggestion:

    My wife is willing to forego one year "Child Care Leave" if that can be availed by me. Can a written request be forwarded to the DoPT with regard to this ?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I enjoyed reading your blog ~ thanks for posting such useful content./Nice article and great photos. Very nicely done!


    Child Care

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  7. I have a typical example in this regards, one of my friend working as SO and his wife expired 2 years back. He has 2 daughter below 14 years. He is taking frequent leave for his daughters. Why he will not be entitled for child care leave?

    ReplyDelete
  8. I really like this post. Highly recommend to everyone. Thank you
    Child care application

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  9. So finally in ccs.leave rules amendmt of 11th Dec 2018, single male parent (like Hiranmay ji explained above) is allowed full child care leave. Some progress....

    ReplyDelete