New Delhi: Hiring a full-time domestic help may soon be a costly affair, as they will have to be paid a minimum salary of Rs 9,000 per month, compulsory paid leave of 15 days annually and maternity leave for women.
To safeguard domestic workers’ interests, the Centre is learnt to have drafted a national policy with these features, along with benefits like social security and provisions to check sexual harassment and bonded labour. The policy is likely to be presented before the Union Cabinet soon.
The policy envisages the right of domestic helps to pursue education, enjoy a safe work environment and a means to redress grievances. Workers and employers will also have the right to form groups and engage in “collective bargaining”.
A draft note by the director-general of labour welfare was given to labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya last week. “The policy framework is on par with the standards of the International Labour Organisation. India adopted the ILO convention on domestic workers and we have to make a policy for this segment of society,” he said.
Once the policy takes effect, it will be mandatory for the employer, employee and intermediary agencies that connects the two to enter into a tripartite agreement, that will have legal sanctity. The draft policy recommends a minimum monthly wage for unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly-skilled categories of domestic workers.
“Highly-skilled and those giving full-time service should be eligible to get a salary of at least Rs 9,000 per month,” an official said, adding that the policy seeks to empower domestic workers by making this large workforce a service industry over time.
