90 days paid leave for sexual harassment complainants at government

90 days paid leave for sexual harassment complainants at government

New Delhi: Paid leave of up to 90 days can be given to a woman government employee who has complained of sexual harassment at her workplace while the inquiry is pending, Union Minister Jitendra Singh today said.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, he said leave up to a period of 90 days may be granted to an aggrieved female government servant during the pendency of inquiry under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

The leave granted shall not be debited against the leave account, said Singh, who is the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

PTI

West Bengal Government Paid leave for staff of all establishments on poll day

West Bengal Government Paid leave for staff of all establishments on poll day

West Bengal government today made it mandatory for all establishments to grant paid holidays to their employees on the day of polling in their areas.

“It is obligatory for the employers of any business, trade, industrial undertakings or any other establishments of the areas under the Assembly segments to grant paid holiday on respective days to their workmen,” a government statement said.

Polling to 294 assembly seats will be held in six phases beginning April 4. The last polling day is May 5.
An exemption to the above holiday has however been granted to fuelling stations.

“The Governor has exempted all classes of petrol and diesel pumps (filling stations) situated within the areas of the Assembly constituencies,” a statement said.
 
PTI

Domestic helps to get monthly wages Rs 9,000; 15 days annual leave

Domestic helps to get monthly wages Rs 9,000; 15 days annual leave

New Delhi:Those hiring a full-time domestic help may soon have to pay them a minimum salary of Rs 9,000 per month, compulsory paid leave of 15 days a year, and maternity leave to boot.

To safeguard the interest of domestic workers, the NDA government is readying a national policy incorporating these features, besides a host of benefits, including social security cover and provisions against sexual harassment and bonded labour.

The ‘National Policy for Domestic Workers’ is likely to be presented before the Union Cabinet soon.
Domestic servants, who stare at an uncertain future when they grow weak with age and are thrown out of their job, will now have the cushion of a social security scheme under which the employer will have a mandatory contribution.

The policy envisages the right to domestic helps to pursue education, a safe work environment and a mechanism for redress of their grievances.

Workers and employers will also have the right to form groups and engage with each other for ‘collective bargaining’.

A draft note in this regard, prepared by the Director General Labour Welfare (DGLW), was submitted to Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya last week.

“The Domestic Workers Policy has to be framed. Domestic workers are also subjected to exploitation and therefore the welfare and protection of domestic labour force is very important,” Dattatreya told PTI.

“The policy framework is on par with the standards of the International Labour Organisation. India has adopted the ILO convention on domestic workers and therefore we have to make a policy for this segment of the society,” he said.

Once the policy takes effect, it will be mandatory for the employer, the employee and the intermediary agency that connects the two, to enter into a tripartite agreement, which will have legal sanctity.

The draft policy recommends minimum monthly wage for unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly-skilled categories of the 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 the policy seeks to empower domestic workers by making this large workforce a services industry over time.

PTI

Paid leave for sexual harassment victims

Paid leave for sexual harassment victims

Instructions have been issued by this Department vide Office Memorandum dated 27.11.2014 regarding Alignment of Service Rules with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013. As per para 6 of the said Office Memorandum, the Complaint Committee will have the powers to recommend to the employer (a) to transfer the aggrieved woman or the charged officer to any other workplace; or (b) to grant leave to the aggrieved woman up to a period of three months, which will be in addition to the leave she would be otherwise entitled to.

As per Section 9 of Chapter IV of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013, any aggrieved woman may make, in writing, a complaint of sexual harassment at workplace to the Internal Committee within a period of three months from the date of incident and in case of a series of incidents, within a period of three months from the date of last incident.

The Committee may, for the reasons to be recorded in writing, extend the time limit not exceeding three months, if it is satisfied that the circumstances were such which prevented the woman from filing a complaint within the said period.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question by Shri P.Nagarajan and Shri B. Vinod Kumar in the Lok Sabha today.