Bill guarding rights of domestic workers sails through Senate body

ISLAMABAD: A Senate standing committee on Tuesday gave a go-ahead to an amended domestic workers bill, barring the employment of helpers below the age of 18, ARY NEWS reported.

According to the contents of the bill, the domestic workers would be issued an appointment letter besides also giving six holidays on festive occasions.

The working hours for domestic help will be nine hours and overtime will be given to them in case of additional hours of work, it said adding that for three hours of additional work, 19 percent salary would be given as overtime.

The domestic workers will also be given a one-month notice period and salary in case of terminating their services immediately, the bill read adding that salary would be paid to the domestic help in case of maternity leaves.

The domestic servants will get dues and salaries as per law and any violation would have legal ramifications.

It is pertinent to mention here that incidents of torture and abuse against domestic workers, mainly below the age of 18, have been reported frequently in the country.

Months before the Senate body’s nod, the National Assembly (NA) had passed the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2020 in April this year.

The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2020 proposes legal and institutional framework for the territorial jurisdiction of the Islamabad capital Territory to ensure that victims of domestic violence arc provided legal protection and relief and the perpetrators of this offence are punished.