Legislation to protect domestic workers in final stages: Kerala Labour Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Legislation to ensure job security and various benefits to domestic workers, majority of whom are women, is in the final stages, Labour Minister V Sivankutty said in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. He was speaking to mediapersons after declaring the ‘Thozhilali Shreshta’ Award and Chief Minister’s Excellence Award to workers in 11 sectors. In addition to ensuring proper work hours, pay, leave and rest for domestic workers, the legislation will also bring placement agencies under its ambit. This is to ensure that workers in the sector are not exploited, the minister said.

Proper and safe accommodation and medical assistance will be ensured for the domestic workers and online registration of both workers and employers will be made mandatory. Sivankutty reminded that it was the LDF government that gave the marginalised domestic workers membership in the unorganised workers’ welfare fund board.

The minister noted that domestic workers are entitled to retirement benefits and assistance for marriage, childbirth, education, medical treatment and accident cover. They are provided up to Rs 10,000 as treatment assistance during the membership period in the welfare fund board, he added. He said that another legislation was being planned to address issues faced by gig and platform workers and also to provide social security benefits to them.