Flexibility options after maternity leave
I'm a new mother working in an internal communications role with an MNC in Mumbai. Next month, I will be resuming work after being on maternity leave for 6 months. What are the flexibility options that I'm legally entitled to as per the Maternity Benefits Act? I'm interested in availing of the following flexible working options (in that order):
1. Extended maternity leave without pay
2. Work from home (either full time or few days a week)
3. Reduced working hours
4. Time off during working hours to nurse my baby
I would like to know which of the above options are allowed as per the law and which are at the employer's discretion. I ask this because my employer is known to be quite rigid in terms of allowing flexible working options. The company HR did not permit me to work from home even during my 3rd trimester, citing company policy of allowing only 2 days of working from home per month.
Note: I work as internal communications manager, which is purely a desk job with no interaction with clients or other external parties.