Supreme Court Asks Union To Consider Bringing Law To Protect Domestic Workers' Rights

 https://www.livelaw.in/supreme-court/supreme-court-asks-union-to-consider-bringing-law-to-protect-domestic-workers-rights-282305 

The Supreme Court, in a judgment authored by Justice Surya Kant, emphasised the urgent need for pan-India legislation to protect domestic workers, who remain vulnerable to exploitation due to a legal vacuum. Despite their indispensable contributions to urban households, such as cooking, cleaning, and caregiving, domestic workers often endure low wages, unsafe conditions, and extended hours without legal recourse. Most belong to marginalised communities and take up this work out of financial desperation. The Court highlighted international norms and past failed attempts to legislate protections, noting that domestic workers are excluded from key labour laws like the Payment of Wages Act and the Sexual Harassment Act. While the Code on Wages, 2019, and the Social Security Code, 2020, provide limited recognition, comprehensive protections are absent. The Court directed multiple ministries to collaborate and propose a law within six weeks to uphold the dignity and safety of domestic workers across India.