The Haryana Government has amended 18 labour laws to facilitate workers and employers and resolve irritants and practical problems dogging the state industry during the tenure of the present government.

Amendments and Analysis :

Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishment (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2018 :

• Relaxed Regulation 30 of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, which will allow women employees to work in night shifts.
• According to the amendments made in the regulations, women employees can now work from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. provided the employer ensures their safety and safe transportation.
• This would benefit 439 commercial establishments and 92,718 women employees of the state.

Industrial Disputes (Haryana Amendment) Bill 2018 :

• The Bill will amend the Industrial Disputes Act 1947,in which the number of employees in any industry can be employed has been increased from 100 to 300 workers and government permission has been made mandatory for any lay-off and shut-down.

Payment of Wagest (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2018 :

• Under the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the employees were being paid emoluments in cash which would increase the chances of corruption.
• Now in the new bill, the wages will be directly deposited in their accounts to curb corruption completely.
• With a view to strengthening the social, educational and economic status of workers, the state government had increased the minimum wages for workers by 52 to 72 per cent.

Contract Labour (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2018 :

• The Bill concerning contract labour proposes to do away with the condition of registration for industrial establishments, employing up to 20 workers, under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970.
• With this, the existing limit of 20 workers was increased to 50 for the purpose of application of the Act in Haryana.

Factories (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2018 :

• To facilitate small industries, the state government has brought reforms in the Factories Act, 1948 by passing an amendment bill in the state Assembly.
• As per the amendment, factories employing 20 or less workers with the use of power, and 40 or less workers employed without the use of power, are exempted under this Act.
• As per the Factories Act, 1948 , orders for supplying the goods are time bound and the factories are to supply the required goods well before the targeted time which will be exempted now.
• The overtime working hours have been increased from 75 to 150 hours.

Enterprise Promotion Policy -2015–Ease of Doing Business :

• With a view to implementing labour laws for the convenience and smooth working of industrial institutions, shops and commercial establishments, the “Enterprise Promotion Policy -2015–Ease of Doing Business” has been implemented.
• Besides, Rs 70 lakh has been spent on the care of children of homeless and migrated laborers at rehabilitation centres in Panipat and Yamuna Nagar.

Punjab Factory Rules (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2018 :

• Several amendments have been made by the present Government in the Punjab Factories Rules,1952 to ensure safety, health and welfare of workers and prevent their exploitation in industrial establishments.
• The Amendment Rules under Rule 7 has introduced the concept of deemed approval. It states that in case no order is communicated to the applicant within forty-five days from the date of its receipt, the said application for registration and license for Factories in Haryana will be deemed to be approved.
• The Amendment Rules has extended the validity period of license granted to factories in Haryana. By virtue of the amendment, a licence for a factory will be granted by the Chief Inspector for a period of one year or five or ten years, on payment of the prescribed fees.
• Prior to this, under the Principal Rules, the validity period of factory license in Haryana was for one year or five years, on payment of the prescribed fees.
• The Amendment Rules under sub Rule 110(1) has introduced the option of maintaining attendance record in digital form.
• Prior to this, under the Principal Rules, the option of maintaining attendance record in digital form was not present.
• With a view to simplifying business, a transparent supervision system, including self-certification scheme for workers, employers and establishments has been introduced.