HSBC’s India arm has upgraded its female employee benefits, allowing reimbursement for daycare costs for their children up to the age of six.

This marks an increase in the maximum age of a child from the previous two years old. For those seeking daycare reimbursement, each child is entitled per month to Rs 18,000 ($250) in Mumbai; $190 in National Capital Region, Bengaluru and Pune; and $141 in other cities.

Mothers that do not wish for daycare reimbursement can receive a fixed $141 per month and HSBC claims to be the sole provider of such benefits.

«With this policy, we have gone a step further to empower our women employees so that they can balance work life and motherhood better,» said Vikram Tandon, head human resources, HSBC India, in an «Economic Times» report. «This policy provides our working mothers the flexibility to choose the best from multiple childcare options for an extended time period.»