Apart from lowly paid wages and lack of weekly-offs, domestic workers in andAndhra Pradeshalso face abuse from employers and do not get PF,ESIbenefits.
A survey by city-basedMontfort Social Institutehas revealed that 81% of domestic workers receive much below government-approved minimum wages.
Varghese Theckanath, director of Montfort, said: “Out of 1,600 workers who were part of the survey, 96% did not have weekly- offs, 68% did not get increment in their wages after many years of EMPLOYMENT and 13% faced verbal abuse at their workplaces.”
He said domestic workers continue to be amongst the most vulnerable groups in the unorganised sector in India. “There is no form of legislation that recognises and protects the rights of these workers and safeguards them against violence and discrimination,” he added.
The Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, enacted by the government of India ensures safe workspaces, both in the organised and unorganised sector, for all Women. “Through the inclusion of ‘dwelling place or house’ in its definition of a workplace, the Act covers domestic workers within this purview,” said Verghese.