Jharkhand: Government proposes reservation of 75% jobs in private sector for domiciles
26 January 2021: Jharkhand government has announced that it is formulating a new domicile policy which will reserve 75% of the jobs in private sector for people belonging to the state. Haryana, Maharashtra and Telangana have announced such policies in the past but their implementation remains in limbo.
Telangana: State to implement 10% reservation for economically weaker sections in government jobs, education
21 January 2021: The Chief Minister of Telangana announced the state government’s decision to implement 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in state government jobs and education, taking the percentage of total reservations in the state from 50% to 60%.
Government signs MoU with Japan under Specified Skilled Workers scheme allowing long term visas for skilled workers
19 January 2020: Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Japan under the Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) programme which will allow Indian citizens to get extended work and stay visa for 5 years. Japan has specified 14 work areas – caregiving, building cleaning, material processing, industrial machinery manufacturing, electric and electronic information, construction, shipbuilding and ship-related industry, automobile maintenance, aviation, lodging, agriculture, fisheries, food and beverages manufacturing, and food services industry under SSW.
Union Government proposes using WhatsApp and other Social Media for wage disbursement
11 January 2021: According to the draft standing orders for the services, manufacturing and mining sectors proposed as part of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, all payments, including wages, shall be made to workers through the electronic or digital mode, the intimation of which shall be sent to the workers through WhatsApp and other Social Media. This comes amid growing concerns over data privacy and raises fears of breach of confidentiality, data theft, financial profiling and even financial fraud for the working people.
Karnataka: Government allows shops and establishments with more than 10 workers to remain open 24×7
02 January 2021: State government has issued final notification allowing shops and commercial establishments with more than 10 workers to operate 24×7 on all days of the year, including national holidays without any additional permissions. According to the government, the move will improve the ease of doing business and employment generation in the state. The order will be in effect for three years.
Gujarat: Amendments to Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 making hire and fire easier for employers gets presidential assent
01 January 2021: The Industrial Disputes (Gujarat Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeking to raise the employee limit of establishments which are required to seek prior permission from the state government for layoff, retrenchment, or closure from 100 to 300, received the President’s assent. Once promulgated the amendments will also reduce the notice period before retrenchment and compensation in case of layoff.
