The Karnataka Domestic Workers’ Rights Association has urged the state government to strengthen the proposed Domestic Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, calling it a historic and progressive step, but warned that major procedural and substantive loopholes could overtake its effectiveness.
At a meeting held to gather responses from stakeholders in JP Nagar on Saturday, the union lauded the Karnataka Labor Department for becoming the first in India to draft a comprehensive law for domestic workers and said that Karnataka now bears a significant responsibility to ensure that the legislation is well thought out and focused on workers’ rights.
Unions have raised concerns and said that only the English version of the Act has been released so far and no Kannada version is available. Most domestic workers have not studied English, the union said, making it impossible for them to read or respond to the draft. She urged the government to immediately publish the Kannada version of the bill and extend the consultation period for another 30 days to allow employees and unions to provide feedback.
The letter also pointed out that the title of the bill does not clearly mention the protection of the working conditions of domestic workers. He recommended that the title be changed to reflect that it is rights-based legislation and to clarify its purpose. Unions also said the bill’s definition of forced labor must be rewritten to include cases where people are forced to work without pay or below the minimum wage, as well as human trafficking and forced labor.
He further demanded that the definition of “child” be consistent with the definition in the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, which defines a child as a person below 14 years of age. The definition of “adolescent” should also be consistent, he said.
Unions said the bill must make it clear that employers, not employees, should be responsible for registering domestic workers. This is important for those who are illiterate or migrant workers. If the employer does not register the worker within the specified time, there should be a back-up system for the workers to register themselves.
She opposed a bill requiring workers to renew their registration every three years. This, according to the union, burdens workers and may result in denial of benefits. Employers should instead update an employee’s status every three years. The union also said that when a worker joins or leaves a job, the employer should be responsible for updating the change in the application or portal.
The letter stated that the working conditions provisions in the bill were vague and needed to be rewritten. He recommended an eight-hour daily and 48-hour weekly limit with overtime pay, four weekly vacations, 15 sick days and 15 vacation days per calendar year, and one monthly bonus. Minimum wages should be set for both resident and part-time workers based on the Reptakos Brett principles and there should be a 10% annual wage increase.
Unions added that social security benefits should be clearly stated, with special protections for workers over 55. It also called for detailed standards for accommodation and health care for live-in workers in line with ILO standards. The letter further asked the government to clarify who will serve on the proposed Domestic Workers Welfare Board and whether all the provisions of the ESI Act will apply to domestic workers.
Published – 8 Nov 2025 19:10 IST
