Under Section 5 of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, as amended in 2017, a woman who has actually worked in an establishment for not less than eighty days in the twelve months immediately preceding the date of her expected delivery is entitled to maternity benefit for -

Section 5(2) entitles a woman who has actually worked for not less than eighty days in the twelve months immediately preceding the date of her expected delivery to maternity benefit for a period not exceeding: (a) twenty-six weeks, not more than eight weeks preceding the expected delivery, for her first two children; (b) twelve weeks, if she has two or more surviving children; and (c) twelve weeks in the case of a woman who legally adopts a child below the age of three months or a commissioning mother. Sub-section (5) permits a woman, with the employer's agreement, to work from home after the period of maternity benefit, and Section 9 provides six weeks' benefit for miscarriage.