The world is fighting against COVID-19 virus since its outbreak. In India, Maharashtra being the worst hit state has taken major steps to keep the citizens safe through lockdown of all public places, corporate offices, and food joints.
With the view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has taken consistent effort to prevent the deadly disease, and requesting the citizens to remain at home. And these will constraint the worker/ employee to report for work.
Dr Mahendra Kalyankar Commissioner of Labour Maharashtra State has issued a letter requesting all the employers of Public/Private establishments to extend their coordination by not terminating their employees, particularly casual or contractual workers from job or reduce their wages. If any worker takes leave, he should be deemed to be on duty without any consequential deduction in wages for this period.
There may be such incidence that on this pretext, the employer may dispense with the services of the workers or may force the workers / employees to go on leave without wages / salaries.
“Further, if the place of employment is to be made non-operational due to COVID-19, the employees of such unit will be deemed to be on duty†the letter reads.
The termination of employee from the job or reduction in wages in this scenario would further deepen the crisis and will not only weaken the financial condition of the employee but also hamper their morale to combat their fight with this epidemic.
