Introduction
This brief aims to describe the deficits and implementation status of the Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy-2015, including such key issues e.g. the right to minimum wage, allowances, fixed working hours, leave time, bonuses, a weekly day for rest, maternity leave, benefits, protection from workplace violence and harassments.
Current Situation of Domestic Works: Far From What The Policy Recommends
In our country the income of domestic workers is not included in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In domestic worker protection system, there is no authority to monitor their situation. The nature of their work requiring them to have workplace in the boundary of private sphere, also far from their families and communities, keeps them outside of public view. Apart from that the scope for lodging of compliant by the domestic workers is very limited or nonfunctional. Besides, as the majority of the DWs are women, they are always vulnerable to various forms of sexual abuse which they do not like to report due to social stigma. Moreover, the workers engaged in different formal sectors are within the purview of welfare fund but there is no such dedicated fund for domestic workers. Absence of trade union is also strong predicaments to ensure welfare of the DWs.
Informal recruitment starts the challenges
According to the study’s findings, the majority of live-out DWs (43.4 percent) were hired by another domestic worker, while the majority of live-in DWs were hired by their relatives (51.3 percent). Overall, the majority of workers were hired through another domestic worker (37.3 percent), relatives (35.7 percent), or the homeowners themselves (17.1 percent). Study findings also shows most of the live in DWs are got recruited by their relatives and most of the live out DWs recruited through other domestic workers. None of them have any written agreement of their employers and the DWPWP also left the room for informal recruitment process by recognizing the verbal discussion as one of the option for recruitment. Though the Policy recommends that “Both sides shall be obliged to abide by the conditions set forth in the appointment letter or contract or understanding or agreement, but it is to be ensured that the conditions set forth are not contrary to laws and policies of the country” but due to non-obligation of the Policy these options are hardly practiced by the employers household.
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