Employees have 'right to sit': TN Bill

Context: Recently, a Bill was tabled by the Tamil Nadu government that seeks a mandate for all shops and establishments to make provisions for their employees to sit.

• This Bill will especially benefit employees working at jewellery showrooms and garments shops, who end up standing for long hours.

Key Importance

• Considering the plight of the employees who are on their toes throughout their duty time, it is felt necessary to provide seating facility to all the employees of shops and establishments.

Right to Sit

• The Right to Sit is aimed to benefit thousands of employees of large and small establishments, particularly those working in textile and jewelry showrooms.
• Persons employed in shops and establishments in the State are made to stand throughout their duty time resulting in varied health issues.
• The order will allow employees to "take advantage of any opportunity to sit" and thereby avoid 'on their toes' situation during work, according to the Bill.

Inspired from Kerala

• A few years ago, workers of textile showrooms in Kerala had gone on a protest demanding the ‘Right to Sit’, prompting the government there to amend the Kerala Shops and Establishments Act in 2018.
• This in turn provided seating arrangements for them.

A move for women

• Most owners of shops and other retail outlets forbid women, the bulk of the shop workforce, to sit.
• Even leaning against a wall was punished. They have varicose veins and joint pain from standing.
• Toilet breaks were strictly limited. This has led to urinary infections, kidney problems.