A Study on Domestic Help Workers and Factors Affecting Realisation of their Rights in the State of Punjab

Author(s)

Ekta Rani and Rajni Saluja

Affiliations

1. Assistant Professor, Khalsa College, Patiala (Punjab)
2. Assistant Professor, Desh Bhagat University, Mandi Gobindgarh, Amloh (Punjab)

Abstract

In India household work has always been considered as below someone’s dignity. It has always been the ‘duty’ of the woman: wife, mother, daughter or sister to do the household tasks and expect no pay. No wonder regarding that the domestic worker is so deliberately underpaid. Cooking, cleaning, caring for children, these are all skilled jobs but they fall under the unorganised sector, with no law to protect rights, no health cover and no pension. It means that in case of a dispute with the employer, the worker cannot go to a labour court, as she is not technically recognised as a ‘worker’. All laws since Independence are formulated for the organised sector. Workers range from full- time to part-time workers, skilled and unskilled workers. The issues such as no formal contracts ensuring an employer-employee relationship, lack of organisation, poor bargaining power, no legislative protection, and inadequate welfare measures with no provision for weekly holidays, maternity leave and health benefits need to be addressed. The present study addresses the issues and tries to find the status of the domestic help workers in Punjab area.

Keywords

Domestic Help Workers, Realisation of Their Rights.

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