The labour and employment ministry is set to formulate a national policy on domestic workers.
What is the need?
India’s domestic workers numbers around 5 million domestic workers of which around 3.5 million are women.
They perform tasks that are not recognised as “work”.
The absence of legislation in this area led to a thriving industry of illegal private placement agencies.
These agencies lure women from rural areas to cities promising them lucrative salary, lifestyle and benefits.
Many of the victims are of tribal origin from poor areas and are often subjected to abuses.
It includes working around the clock, physical violence, sexual assaults and even threat to their lives.
What will be the highlights of the policy?
The policy proposes legal status to domestic workers.
It would facilitate recognition of part-time and full-time domestic help as “workers”.
It would enable them with the right to register with the state labour department.
It also plans to ensure minimum wages and equal remuneration to the domestic workers.
Will a “national policy” help?
Implementation - There is no shortage of existing legislation in this matter.
Unorganized Social Security Act (USSA), 2008, and Sexual Harassment against Women at Work Place (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, are some examples.
USSA recognised domestic work as “work” and mandated the formation of a state social security board to recommend, advise, and monitor social welfare schemes for unorganised workers.
None of this has been implemented in a large number of states yet.
Complexity - According to UN, unlike other forms of labour market activity, domestic work takes place in an unconventional place of work, i.e. the household.
Implementations of labour laws such as minimum wages and regularised work hours also remain a challenge.
Such regulation is complex because the nature of domestic work is unique compared to other forms of work.
The sector lacks effective means to regulate working conditions, for example, through streamlined job descriptions which could be offered through standard contracts.
