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Employment / workplace benefit · All India (for insured women workers)

ESI Maternity Benefit

Paid maternity leave and free medical care for women covered by ESI.

Headline benefit

26 weeks of paid leave at full wages

Administered by
Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Ministry of Labour & Employment
Coverage
All India (for insured women workers)
Leave
26 weeks (first 2 children)
Pay
100% of wages
Paid by
ESIC
🔗 Official portal✅ Check if I'm eligible📝 How to apply
  • Official sources onlyFigures cited from government portals
  • Verified 9 July 2026Amounts change — confirm on the portal
  • Educational guidanceNot legal or financial advice

Last verified 9 July 2026 · Amounts and rules can change — confirm current details on the official portal before applying.

Overview

What is ESI?

The Employees' State Insurance (ESI) scheme covers workers in factories and notified establishments who earn up to ₹21,000 a month (₹25,000 for a person with disability). An insured woman is entitled to a cash maternity benefit paid by ESIC — not by her employer.

Maternity Benefit is payable for 26 weeks (for up to two surviving children) at 100% of your average daily wages, with a possible one-month extension for illness arising out of pregnancy. Shorter periods apply for a third child, for miscarriage/MTP, and for adopting or commissioning mothers.

ESI also provides free medical care for your pregnancy and delivery at ESI hospitals and dispensaries or empanelled hospitals.

What you get

Benefits

  • 26 weeks paid leave

    26 weeks

    For the first two children (12 weeks for a third child onwards).

  • 100% of average wages

    Full wage replacement, paid by ESIC.

  • Free maternity medical care

    At ESI facilities or empanelled hospitals.

  • 6 weeks for miscarriage / MTP

    From the date following the miscarriage or medical termination.

  • 12 weeks for adoption / surrogacy

    For an adopting or commissioning mother.

  • ₹5,000 confinement allowance

    Where ESI medical facilities aren't available for the delivery.

The money

Financial assistance available

Financial assistance available
Maternity benefit (1st & 2nd child)At 100% of average daily wages.26 weeks
Third child onwards12 weeks
Miscarriage / MTP6 weeks
Adopting / commissioning mother12 weeks
Extension for pregnancy-related illness+1 month
Confinement allowanceWhere no ESI facility is available.₹5,000

Who qualifies

Eligibility

Quick self-check

Am I eligible?

0 of 2 met

Tick the statements that apply to you. This is a self-check to help you understand ESI — it is not an eligibility decision. The official portal is the final authority.

What to gather

Required documents

  • ESIC Insurance Number / e-Pehchan cardRequired

  • Maternity claim form (Form 19)Required

    With a certificate of expected confinement or birth.

  • Proof of contributionRequired

    Usually verified by ESIC from records.

  • Bank account detailsRequired

Step by step

How to apply

Ways to apply

  • Through your employer
  • At an ESIC Branch Office
  • Online — ESIC portal (esic.gov.in)

  1. Confirm you're covered and eligible

    During pregnancy

    Check your ESIC contribution history — 70 days across the last two contribution periods.

  2. Get the medical certificate

    Before leave

    Obtain a certificate of expected confinement from an ESI doctor.

  3. Submit your maternity claim

    Before / at start of leave

    Through your employer or ESI Branch Office, or online via the ESIC portal.

  4. Receive the benefit

    During leave

    ESIC pays the cash benefit, increasingly directly to your bank account.

Don't miss these

Important deadlines

  • Contribution condition

    70 days paid across the 2 contribution periods before confinement

  • Claim maternity benefit

    Around your expected date of confinement

Take it with you

Download your application checklist

A ready-to-use list of the documents to gather and the steps to follow for ESI. Save it, print it, or take it to your Anganwadi Centre, hospital, or employer.

Avoid these

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Not meeting the 70-day contribution rule — check your contribution history early in the pregnancy.
  • Missing the medical certificate of expected confinement.
  • Assuming your employer pays — under ESI, ESIC pays the cash benefit.
  • Out-of-date ESIC or bank details, which delay the payment.

Answers

Frequently asked questions

How much leave do I get under ESI?

26 weeks for the first two children, and 12 weeks for a third child onwards, paid at 100% of your average daily wages.

Who pays the benefit — my employer or ESIC?

ESIC pays the cash maternity benefit. This is the key difference from the Maternity Benefit Act, under which your employer pays.

What is the wage limit for ESI?

ESI generally covers employees earning up to ₹21,000 a month (₹25,000 for a person with disability).

Can I claim under both ESI and the Maternity Benefit Act?

No. If you're covered by ESI, your maternity benefit comes through ESI; the Maternity Benefit Act applies to women not covered by ESI.

Is medical care for the delivery included?

Yes — full medical care for pregnancy and delivery is provided at ESI facilities or empanelled hospitals.

Go to the source

Official government resources

Free tools

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Plan the rest of your pregnancy

This page is an educational summary of a publicly available government scheme, verified against official sources on 9 July 2026. Scheme amounts, eligibility and rules change with government policy — always confirm the current details on the official portal above before you apply. It is not legal, financial, or medical advice. See our editorial policy for how we source and review content.

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