Contractual employees to be paid during period of absence due to lockdown: Finmin

The Finance Ministry on Monday said that contractual employees will be paid even if they are unable to report on duty due to lockdown imposed by authorities.

"Due to social distancing and isolation measures to contain spread of COVID19, there is a likelihood of number of contractual labour and outsourced staff working for Govt of India being unable to attend work, resulting in deduction in wages, thus causing hardship to them," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a tweet.

"The @FinMinIndia has issued orders to declare this period as "on duty" and wages paid accordingly," she said.

According to office memorandum, various states and union territories governments have announced lockdown at different places as part of social distancing and isolation measures to contain the spread of COVID 19 in the country.

Instructions have been separately issued by Department of Personnel and Training regarding maintenance of essential services in ministries and departments, it said.

"Due to these measures, there is a likelihood of a number of contractual, casual and outsourced staff such as house-keeping staff etc being required to stay home which under normal circumstances would result in deduction in their pay and wages," it said.

To avoid any undue hardships under the prevailing extraordinary circumstances, it has been decided that such employees, if required to stay home in view of lockdown order regarding COVID 19 prevention, will be considered on duty, it added.