In a progressive move, Telangana is planning to introduce a dedicated law to safeguard the rights and welfare of domestic workers.
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TELENGANA: The Telangana government is contemplating the introduction of a law aimed at providing rights, social security, and protection for domestic workers, including maidservants, nannies, caretakers, and watchmen. The move follows growing concerns over the well-being of domestic workers, especially after reports of abuse, torture, and sexual assault, particularly against women in this workforce. In response, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has instructed officials to examine the issue thoroughly and prepare a draft bill, which will incorporate insights from existing legislation in other states.
At present, domestic workers in Telangana are covered under the Minimum Wages Act; however, there is no dedicated law to address their specific needs for welfare and protection. The government is now considering various policies, including the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008, implemented by the Union Government, and similar legislations in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Kerala, which have provisions for the social security and rights of domestic workers.
According to government sources, Hyderabad alone has around five lakh domestic workers, with the figure expected to rise to over 10 lakh when considering workers in rural districts. As part of the proposed bill, the Telangana government plans to include provisions to penalize employers found guilty of harassment or sexual violence. Additionally, the bill is expected to establish a welfare board, which will include both domestic workers and government representatives, to oversee the welfare of the workforce.
Other provisions in the draft bill are likely to focus on essential aspects of domestic workers’ rights, such as ensuring social security benefits, defining working hours, mandating paid leave, setting minimum wages, and requiring the registration of employers with the competent authority.
This legislative move is intended to offer comprehensive protection to domestic workers and ensure that they are treated fairly and with dignity in their workplaces.
In the past, the central government had introduced the Domestic Workers (Regulation of Work and Social Security) Bill, 2017, in Parliament. However, the bill has yet to be enacted into law, leaving a significant gap in the legal framework regarding domestic workers’ rights and protection at the national level.
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