Section 59. Employment of, or work by, women prohibited during certain period.

(1) No employer shall knowingly employ a woman in any establishment during the six weeks immediately following the day of her delivery, miscarriage or medical termination of pregnancy. (2) No woman shall work in any establishment during the six weeks immediately following the day of her delivery, miscarriage or medical termination of pregnancy. (3) Without prejudice to the provisions of section 62, no pregnant woman shall, on a request being made by her in this behalf, be required by her employer to do, during the period specified in sub-section(4), any work which is of an arduous nature or which involves long hours of standing or which in any way is likely to interfere with her pregnancy or the normal development of the foetus or is likely to cause her miscarriage or otherwise to adversely affect her health. (4) The period referred to in sub-section (3) shall be--- (a) the period of one month immediately preceding the period of six weeks, before the date of her expected delivery; (b) any period during the said period of six weeks for which the pregnant woman does not avail of leave of absence under section 62. Explanation.--- For the purposes of this section, the expression "any work of arduous nature" shall mean any work which involve or require strenuous effort or is difficult and tiring in nature.