(a) whether the Government has set/ proposes to set a minimum wage for domestic workers in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the reasons therefor;
(d) whether the Government has taken/proposes to take any steps to regulate the working conditions of the domestic workers in the country; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a) to (e): Discussion are underway regarding a National Policy for Domestic Workers, the salient features of which are as follows:
i. Inclusion of Domestic Workers in the existing legislations
ii. Registration of Domestic workers.
iii. Right to form their own associations/ unions
iv. Right to have minimum wages, access to social security, protection from abuse, harassment, violence
v. Right to enhance their skills
vi. Protection of Domestic Workers from abuse and exploitation
vii. Domestic Workers to have access to courts, tribunals, etc. for Grievance Redressal.
viii. Establishment of a mechanism for regulation of placement agencies.
Contd..2/-
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• Minimum Wages for Domestic Workers have been notified in several States and domestic work has been included as Scheduled Employment is several States.
• The domestic work is recognized as ‘work’ and domestic workers as unorganized workers under the Unorganized Workers Social Security Act 2008.
• Domestic Workers have also been included as a specific category of workers (with home as the workplace) in the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (2013).
• In several States, trade unions are organizing domestic workers and unions have been registered exclusively for domestic workers.
Domestic Workers Sector Skills Council has been established under Ministry of Skills Development to enable professionalization of domestic workers and enable their career progression.
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