Domestic Workers

Demand for educated maids rises as households rely on outsourcing: Report

Demand for educated house help or maids has surged manifold, driven by a growing number of dual-income households and their increasing reliance on outsourced support for daily chores, a report has said. Roles for maids with different education levels have witnessed a sharp growth in 2024 calendar year compared to the preceding year, leading to a steep rise in demand for such domestic helps, said the report by blue and grey collar recruitment platform WorkIndia. The demand for those with below 10th grade of education surged by 112 per cent. The demand rose 102 per cent for graduates, 94 per cent for 10th pass, and an exceptional 255 per cent for 12th pass candidates, it added. The high growth among 12th pass and graduate maids suggests that employers are increasingly seeking more educated individuals for roles that require higher trust such as child care, elderly care, or managing household operations, said the report. "India's household job market is undergoing a pivotal shift. The

SC asks Centre to set up panel to safeguard domestic workers' rights

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre for a legal framework on the protection of the rights of domestic workers rights observing their exploitation and a "legal vacuum". In the opinion of a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, for now, there seemed no effective legislative or executive action to enact a statute, which could provide solace to millions of vulnerable domestic workers across the country. "The simple reason for this harassment and rampant abuse, which seems to be prevalent throughout the country, is the legal vacuum which exists vis--vis the rights and protection of domestic workers," the court said. Indeed, domestic workers in India remain largely unprotected and without any comprehensive legal recognition. As a result, they frequently endure low wages, unsafe environments, and extended hours without effective recourse, it added. The court directed the Ministry of Labour and Employment along with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, th

Chennai domestic help murder: Are domestic workers legally protected?

Unprotected labour sector: Cases of abuse against domestic workers in India continue to be a reality. What does this informal sector look like and what laws are in place to protect them?

Delhi govt to roll out welfare schemes for nearly 500,000 domestic workers

The Delhi government will soon come up with welfare schemes for nearly five lakh domestic workers in the national capital, Labour Minister Raaj Kumar Anand said on Friday. Anand made the announcement at a workshop held by the International Labour Organization to discuss bringing domestic workers' rights under the legal ambit in Delhi Addressing the workshop, Anand said the AAP government is constantly working for the welfare of labourers in Delhi. He said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal believes he is "a creator of the country's destiny." The Kejriwal government has formulated and implemented 17 welfare schemes covering education, health, safety and pension for construction workers in the capital, he said. The Delhi government will soon come up with similar welfare schemes for five lakh domestic workers in the city, he said. He said the workshop is very important for domestic workers and those who work on their behalf because through this "we are able to acknowledge the ...

Underpaid, vulnerable & often abused, domestic helps need a helping hand

Today is International Domestic Workers' Day. The sector remains unregulated, but a clutch of start-ups is trying to change that

Domestic workers need to work in 6 households to earn minimum wage: Study

Employers believe they pay enough, do not consider skills while setting the wage and favour "trustworthiness" over caste and religion, found a study of households in Bengaluru and Chennai

High festive demand pushes up demand for gig and temp workers: Report

Over 400,000 gig and temporary workers were reportedly hired to meet the high demand during this year's festive season

95% domestic workers earn less than Rs 10,000 per month, shows data

A higher proportion of women, scheduled castes, and other backward classes enrolled as domestic workers

Govt flags off domestic worker survey; unveils instruction manual

Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday flagged off the fieldwork of All India Survey on Domestic Workers and unveiled its instruction manual. It will cover 742 districts of 37 states in the country. "This survey will cover a database of five and a half lakh households across the country and cover all types of domestic services like cook, driver, housekeeping, tutors (for children), watchman etc. This evidence-based study will help the government in policy-making for this segment of workers," Yadav said, addressing at the launch of fieldwork of the survey. Rapid urbanisation due to expansion would lead to migration of workers and a rise in the number of domestic workers, he added. Yadav released an instruction manual with a questionnaire for the All India Survey on Domestic Workers being conducted by Labour Bureau, Chandigarh. According to the latest data on the e-Shram portal, around 8.8 per cent of the registered 8.56 crore informal sector workers fall in the category of

60% domestic workers not paid in lockdown, faced poverty, debt: Report

The 2020 lockdown and the partial state shutdowns have hurt millions of informal workers in India, with female workers bearing the brunt of the crisis

US lawmaker introduces a legislation to overhaul H-1B visa system

It also requires employers to pay their H-1B workers more than the American workers to ensure foreign labour is only used when absolutely necessary.

'Invisible hands': How millions of domestic workers fare under Covid-19

Most domestic work is informal, leaving workers vulnerable, especially in times of crisis like Covid-19

Domestic workers stare at uncertainty; await employers' call to begin work

While a few individual households have opened their gates to domestic workers, many of the societies/ apartments/ localities are yet to stop being sceptical about them in reality

Why is the condition of domestic workers seldom discussed in India?

Indian homes have witnessed a 120% increase in domestic workers in the decade post liberalisation.

Better deal for domestic workers?

Instead of another law or policy, implement the existing ones