Government proposes amendments to Companies Act, dilutes punishments on businesses
20 December 2018: In the guise of reducing the burden on Special Courts, the Corporate Affairs Ministry has proposed amendments to the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017 which would shift the jurisdiction of 16 types of corporate offences from the special courts to in-house adjudication and dilute punishments on businesses reducing them to be only monetary in nature.
The act will be put in place to validate the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 which was promulgated in November, 2018.
Government proposes to reimburse employers for wages paid during maternity leave from worker’s welfare cess
17 November 2018: Citing reports that claim that the amendment in the Maternity Benefit Act, 2017 have had detrimental effect on women employment in the country, the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MOLE) has proposed to allocate ₹400 crore towards reimbursing employers in the private sector 50% of the wages during the last 14 weeks of maternity leave.
The MoLE has proposed that the fund be created from the unused cess monies in the worker’s welfare funds. The cover and reach of the Maternity Benefit Act, 2017 remains a matter of concern as it does not have measures for women employed in the unorganised sector, further cushioning of the employers in the private sector who have adopted discriminatory practices against female employees since the promulgation of the act will be detrimental to the implementation of the law.
Delhi: Government constitutes flying squads to curb minimum wage violations
4 December 2017: The Delhi government has decided to tighten the noose on employers violating the provisions of Minimum Wages Act, 2017. It has launched a phone helpline where workers can register their complaints on the number 155214 and constituted special enforcement teams consisting Labour commissioners, Labour officer, Inspecting officers and others who would raid various industrial setups to keep a check on non-payment of minimum wages as promulgated by the government. Earlier this year, employers associations had challenged the minimum wages promulgated by the government claiming that a hike of more than 30% in the wages was arbitrary and the employers could not afford minimum wages of ₹14,000, ₹15,400 and ₹16,962 for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers respectively.
Tripura: Government abolishes holiday on May Day
04 November 2018: Tripura government in its holiday notification for 2019 has abolished the annual holiday for May Day celebrated on 1st of May every year. May Day marks the commemoration of the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago on 4 May 1886 and the celebration of achievements of workers and worker’s movements globally. specifically the eight-hour work day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. Trade Unions and worker’s movements have opposed the move and demanded that the holiday be restored.
