NEED FOR A LAW ON DOMESTIC WORKERS

Copyright infringement not intended Picture Courtesy: Indian Express Context: The Supreme Court directed the Union government to examine the possibility of a separate law for domestic workers. Who Are Domestic Workers? Domestic workers are individuals employed to perform household tasks such as cleaning, cooking, laundry, childcare, and elderly care. They may work on a full-time or part-time basis, live within their employer's home (live-in) or reside separately (live-out). In India, a significant majority of domestic workers are women, many of whom come from marginalized communities and have limited formal education. Challenges Faced by Domestic Workers Exclusion from Labor Laws: Existing laws like the Minimum Wages Act (1948) and the Equal Remuneration Act (1976) do not explicitly cover domestic workers, which results in arbitrary and exploitative wage rates. Social Devaluation: The perception of domestic work as “unskilled” and “natural” for wome...