Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Tuesday 11 August 2015

MAID IN INDIA ? - 1


Dear Friends ,


Sam Ramaswamy ( Instruments Div ) , commented on my yesterday's blog (  L&T Story - 1 ) , which I had also posted on my Facebook page

I copied his comments below the blog , at ,

www.hemenparekh.in  >  Blogs

Feel free to add your own comments there

Or , even better , write your own stories there  !

In the meantime , find below , my today's blog

I am sure , even in today's blog , you have many things to add !

regards,

hcp

PS:

I have already sent today's blog to Shri Bandaru Dattatreyaji

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maid    in   India   ?

That is the title of a news-report that appeared in Economic Times ( 06 Aug 2015 )

It seems Central Labour Ministry is about to come out with a ,

National Policy for Domestic Workers " ,

whose salient provisions could be :

>    Hiring of domestic workers only through a Placement Agency

>    Employer/Employee to sign a formal Contract , listing " Standard
      Practices " (- like , Model Standing Order / Show-cause Notice /
      Domestic Inquiry etc ? )

>   Placement Agency + 2 Trade Union Reps to be the " Third Parties "
     to the contract ( - to be signed before a Labour Commissioner  ? )

>   Employer will be responsible for :

    *   Social Security

    *   Payment of Minimum Wages ( - what about " Annual Bonus " ? )

    *   Weekly Off

    *   Maternity Leave of 2 months

    *   30 days of Paid Leave per year

    *   Contribution to ESIS / EPF

    *   Providing proper accommodation ( - will 1BHK suffice ?  )

    *   Providing Meals  ( - if employed by a Govt Officer )


Although not mentioned in the article , I have no doubt that the proposed Policy / Act / Law , will also cover , explicit provisions , covering :

  *   Detailed " Job Descriptions " for each type of domestic job

  *   Grades ( Unskilled / Semi Skilled / Highly Skilled , etc )

  *   Wage / Salary Scales

  *   Dearness Allowance  ( linked to CPI for 100 % neutralization  ? )

  *   House Rent Allowance ( when house is not provided )

  *   Leave Travel Allowance ( not necessarily , to home town visits ?  )

  *   Children's Education Allowance

  *   Bachelor's Allowance ( for employees without children ? )

  *   Outstation Allowance / Travelling Allowance

  *  " Stay - at - home " Allowance , when employer is on holiday  !

  *   Washing Allowance ( for uniforms to be supplied by Employer )

  *   Local Conveyance Allowance ( when Scooter is not provided ? )

  *   Lunch Allowance ( when meals are not provided )

  *   Shift Allowance ( if required to work in second shift )

  *   Overtime Wages @ 250 % of normal wages

  *   Machine Operating Allowance

      [  if required to operate domestic appliances such as Grinder/Mixer ,
      Dish Washer , Washing Machine , Micro-wave Oven , Gas Stove ,
      Vacuum Cleaner , Refrigerator , Pressure Cooker etc  ]

  *   Compensatory Working Allowance

  *   Casual Leave / Sick Leave / Accident Leave

  *   Leave without Pay

  *   Accumulation / Encashment of PL

  *   Paid Holidays

  *   Effective Working Hours / Shift Timings

  *   ID badge / Job Time Card / Clock Punching

  *   Supply of Uniforms / Safety Shoes / Umbrellas etc

  *   Providing of Creche ( for Employee's Children )

  *   A clearly defined / time-bound , Promotion Policy

  *   Probationary Period / Retirement Age / Gratuity

  *   Grievance Procedure............... etc



Have I left out any other provision ? Readers are invited to contribute

What could be the implications if this Act is passed  ?

#    Tremendous increase in corruption

      {  Always happens when you pass an " Unobservable Law " , which gets
       broken , a million times a day ! }

#    Birth of a " Parallel / Illegal " Employment Market

#    Endless litigation ( with great demand for Labour Lawyers ! )

#    Huge slowdown in hiring of domestic help , rendering millions of
      domestic servants , jobless

#    Deterioration of Work Ethics  ?

 #   Huge boost to manufacture of Domestic Appliances ( MakeinIndia ? ),
      which may be able to absorb some of the domestic help rendered
      jobless - after re-skilling  . Making best of a bad bargain !


Does anyone get a sense that we are trying to fix things which do not need
fixing  ?

Have we got our priorities , all mixed up  ?

And pray , when did you last try to hire a house maid ?

If you too , feel that we should leave this matter to be settled , one-on-one , between the Employer and the Domestic Worker , do forward this blog to :

Shri Bandaru Dattatreyaji, Minister for Labour (bandaru@sansad.nic.in )

Or send your feedback from  : www.labour.gov.in

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
hemen  parekh

11 Aug  2015


     
 



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