By P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has, once again, lived up to its reputation for blazing new trails in various fields. The latest feather in its capacious cap is the Bill for amending certain provisions in the Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishments Act to usher in changes aimed at ensuring a comfortable working environment for women employees.
The Bill, which the Kerala Government has decided to introduce, is an important women-friendly step. Other states would do well to emulate the Kerala initiative, which has received all-round appreciation.
The most significant feature of the bill is that it envisages redefining the concept of employees so as to include even those who are recruited through other agencies to an establishment. It will frustrate the efforts of various establishments which recruit staff supplied by other agencies to circumvent employees’ rights.
Among the many women-friendly initiatives the Bill incorporates is the provision for seating arrangements for sales women, who are required at present to stand for long hours while at work. The amendment comes in the wake of complaints from women employees, social activists and organizations on the problems being encountered by women in shops and establishments.
The Bill seeks to enhance the penalty for violation of the provisions of the Act from the existing Rs 5000 to Rs 1 lakh. Penalty for repeated violations has been increased from the existing Rs 10, 000 to Rs 2 lakh.
A new chapter, added to the existing Act through the Bill, will have adequate provisions to prevent sexual atrocities against women and children.
Another employee-friendly step is that employees should be mandatorily given a day’s off every week.
The amendment will allow a firm to extend working hours of women employees from the existing 7 pm to 9 pm. But this is subject to certain conditions. The firm should provide adequate security to women, including transportation facilities to their places of accommodation. Moreover, they should be employed only in batches of five.
The proposed amendments have come as a major relief for sales women. Various studies have highlighted the dangers of standing for long hours. For instance, working women who are required to wear heeled shoes face the biggest risk of developing chronic back pain and muscle fatigue. (IPA Service)
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