An employer may discontinue or reduce benefits payable to his employees under con-ditions of their service which are similar to the benefits conferred by the Act to the extent specified below, namely : —
(a) from the date of the commencement of the first benefit period following the appointed day for his factory or establishment —
(i) sick leave on half pay to the full extent ;
(ii) such proportion of any combined general purposes and sick leave on half pay as may be assigned as sick leave but in any case not exceeding 50 per cent. of such combined leave ;
(b) any maternity benefits granted to woman employees to the extent to which such woman employees may become entitled to the maternity benefit under the Act :
Provided that where an employee avails himself of any leave from the employer for sickness, maternity or temporary disablement, the employer shall be entitled to deduct from the leave salary of the employee the amount of benefit to which he may be entitled under the Act for the corresponding period.