Haryana Cabinet Approves 2-Yr Child Care Leave For Single Male Government Employees

As per the new amendment rules, called the Haryana Civil Services (Leave) Amendment Rules, 2022, a single male government employee, meaning thereby – an unmarried, widower or legally divorcee government employee and a female government employee can both avail child care leave for a maximum period of two years, that is, 730 days during the entire service for taking care of her or his two eldest surviving children upto the age of 18 years.

As per a Government Press Release, the amendment has been modelled on the child care leave policy of the Centre where child care leave is provided to single male government employees apart from female government employees under the Government of India.

Rule 46 of the Haryana Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 2016, shall now stand amended. In the said rules, in rule 46, for sub-rule (1), the following sub-rule has been substituted, which shall read as:

"Child care leave shall be admissible for a maximum period of 730 days during the entire service for taking care of two eldest surviving children upto the age of eighteen years only. Provided that the period of 730 days includes the child care leave availed, if any, by the mother, as a female Government employee, while working under any State government or the Government of India prior to the submission of application by a single male Government employee of the same two eldest children."

As per the amendment, the age-based limitation of 18 years for children shall not be applicable to 'Divyang Children,' in cases where 'impairment is more than 60 per cent as per the impairment certificate issued by the competent authority and if the Divyang child is completely dependent on the female Government employee or the single male Government employee as the case maybe.'

The rules shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.