Kerala increases minimum wages for domestic helps to Rs 5070

 

Now, domestic helpers in Kerala would be a happier lot. The state government has decided to increase their minimum monthly salary to Rs 5070. Cooks, drivers, gardeners and home nurses will get more. The domestic workers are also entitled to get 5% of the basic pay as Dearness Allowance considering the price rise of consumer goods. 
 

The government fixed the minimum wage on a daily, hourly and monthly basis to avoid exploitation of domestic workers. The workers should be paid a minimum wage of Rs.37.50 per hour and Rs.22.50 for extra hours. Eight hours work a day means Rs.195 for the servant. 

The wages have been fixed in detail in no uncertain terms. 
Here's a list:

 

• Child care: Rs.5226
• Care of the elderly, patients and differently abled: Rs. 5226 
• Cooking: Rs. 5538
• Driver/ gardener, security: Rs. 5694
• Garden worker: Rs. 5538 
• Home nurse (day): Rs. 5850
   

 Besides this, the employer should provide food if the working time exceeds an hour. 
 

Once the national policy on domestic workers, which awaits cabinet nod, comes into force, the minimum monthly salary for domestic help would go up to Rs.9,000 per month. Reports quoting official sources said that the draft policy had provision to minimum monthly wage for various categories- Skilled, highly skilled, unskilled and semi-skilled workers.  

 
 As per a 2011-12 survey of National Sample Survey Organisation, the country has 41.3 lakhs domestic workers in the country of which majority (27.9 lakhs)were women.