The draft of the Domestic Worker Protection and Welfare Policy 2015, the first ever of its kind in the country which is aimed at ensuring basic rights and facilities for house helps, was approved by the cabinet yesterday.
The policy says the employer or any of his relatives cannot subject the domestic help to any kind of emotional or physical abuse or even cannot behave abusively.
“Those violating the policy will be punished according to the existing law. The government will bear the entire cost of treatment if any domestic worker is physically tormented,” said Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam while briefed reporters after the cabinet meeting at the Secretariat.
He said the government would launch a helpline for domestic workers to provide them with necessary assistance.
“The government will outline a series of programmes to raise public awareness of violence against domestic helps,” said Shafiul.
According to the policy, domestic helps will be classified as full-time and part-time workers and their payments will be set by their employers through negotiations.
Domestic helps will have to be paid by the first week of the month and their wages will have to be deposited in bank if they have no guardians. Also, other expenses such as living, clothing and treatment will not count as wage.
The duration of work of house helps will be set in a way that ensures available time for sleeping, leisure, recreation and leave. They should be provided with a safe and healthy place to live.
The policy says domestic workers can enjoy leave upon the permission of their employers, but mentions no specific weekly, monthly or yearly leave.
Maid will be allowed 16 weeks of maternity leave during pregnancy and it will come into effect a month before delivery.
Domestic workers aged 14 can be employed for doing light work while those aged 18 will do both light and heavy work. Also, those above 12 can be employed if they are provided with study opportunities upon permission of the guardians.
Md Mujibul Haque, state minister for Labour and Employment, yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune the policy on domestic workers is aimed at protecting them from any untoward incidents.
He said the government would form monitoring cells to implement the policy, and those would be headed by chief executive officers in city areas, deputy commissioners in districts and upazila nirbahi officers in rural areas.
“The government will also form vigilance committees to protect domestic workers and ensure their welfare. The committees will comprise public representatives of city corporations, municipalities and union parishads,” added Mujibul.
The cabinet secretary said the policy was formulated in line with the labour law.
