Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, | UPSC Notes EPFO Labour Law

Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020

★ It spells out duties of employers and employees, and envisages safety standards for different sectors, focusing on the health and working condition of workers, hours of work, leaves, etc.

★ The code also recognises the right of contractual workers.

★ The code provides employers the flexibility to employ workers on a fixed-term basis, on the basis of requirement and without restriction in any sector.

★ More importantly, it also provides for statutory benefits like social security and wages to fixed-term employees at par with their permanent counterparts.

★ It also mandates that no worker will be allowed to work in any establishment for more than 8 hours a day or more than 6 days in a week.

★ In case of an overtime, an employee should be paid twice the rate of his/her wage. It will be applicable to even small establishments, which have upto 10 workers.

★ The code also brings in gender equality and empowers the women workforce. Women will be entitled to be employed in all establishments for all types of work and, with consent can work before 6 am and beyond 7 pm subject to such conditions relating to safety, holidays and working hours.

★ For the first time, the labour code also recognises the rights of transgenders. It makes it mandatory for industrial establishments to provide washrooms, bathing places and locker rooms for male, female and transgender employees.