SALARY CAP TO BE RAISED FOR ESI CONTRIBUTIONS

The government is likely to increase the salary cap of beneficiaries to Rs.25,000 from Rs.15,000, w.e.f. 1-10-2013. The decision has been taken despite objections from employers representatives at a closed-door meeting in Delhi on 19.9.2013. The last increase in the salary ceiling for ESI was made in May 2010, when it was raised to Rs.15,000 from Rs.10,000

MINIMUM WAGES REVISED IN DELHI W.E.F. 01st OCT 2013

MINIMUM WAGES REVISED IN DELHI The NCT of Delhi has revised the minimum wages payable from October 2013 to March 2014 and the details are furnished below: Category Unskilled Semi-skilled Skilled Clerical and Supervisory Staff Non-matriculates Matriculate but not graduate Graduate and above Existing 7722 8528 9386 8528 9386 10218 Revised from 1/10/2013 8086 8918 9802 8918 9802 10686

MINIMUM WAGES IN UTTAR PRADESH REVISED

MINIMUM WAGES IN UTTAR PRADESH Revised w.e.f. 01-Oct-2013 until 31-03-2014 Labour Department, Uttar Pradesh has notified Dearness Allowance for the period October 2013 to March 2014. The details are furnished below: Category MW per month D.A.
w.e.f. 01.10.2013 to 31.03.2014

MW/month w.e.f. 01.10.2013 to 31.03.2014

MW/day w.e.f. 01.10.2013 to 31.03.2014 200.00 228.00

Unskilled Semi-skilled

2600.00 2964.00

2600.00 2964.00

5200.00 5928.00

Skilled

3290.00

3290.00

6580.00

253.08

MINIMUM WAGES IN UTTAR PRADESH Revised w.e.f. 01-Apr-2013 until 30-09-2013 Category MW per month D.A. from 01.04.2013 to 30.09.2013 Unskilled Semi-skilled Skilled 2600.00 2964.00 3290.00 2375.86 2708.48 3006.38 MW/month w.e.f. 01.04.2013 to 30.09.2013 4975.86 5672.48 6296.38 MW/day w.e.f. 01.04.2013 to 30.09.2013 191.38 218.17 242.17

Minimum Wages in Punjab enhanced

In continuation to earlier circulars, intimating the rise in minimum rates of wages, it is hereby brought to your kind notice that the Punjab Government has further enhanced the minimum rates of wages w.e.f. 01.09.2013 in respect of 71 Scheduled Employments. The increase in wages for monthly rated employee is Rs. 552.75 and for daily rated is Rs. 21.44 & for hourly worker is Rs. 2.68. The above increase is to neutralize the cost of living. The minimum rates of wages are linked with Consumer price index Numbers (State Series 1987 -100). The adjustment of wages are made after an interval of six months taking the average of CPI numbers compiled by the Punjab Government. The detail of enhanced/adjusted minimum rates of wages for monthly rated and daily rated and hourly rated employees under different categories are given in the attachment. It is pertinent to mention here that vide two separate writ petitions some clauses attached to the parent notification dt. 15.11.2012 issued under the Minimum WagesAct, 1948 are under challenge and the next date for final arguments is fixed for 26.09.2013.

MINIMUM WAGES IN HARYANA REVISED w.e.f. 01-07-2013

LATEST MINIMUM WAGES IN HARYANA w.e.f. 01-07-2013

Category Unskilled Semi Skilled (A) Semi Skilled (B) Skilled (A) Skilled (B) Highly Skilled

Monthly Rs.5341.51 Rs.5471.51 Rs.5601.51 Rs.5731.51 Rs.5861.51 Rs. 5991.51

Per Day Rs. 205.44 Rs. 210.44 Rs. 215.44 Rs. 220.44 Rs. 225.44 Rs. 230.44

CANTEEN ALLOWANCE PART OF BASIC WAGES FOR PROVIDENT FUND DEDUCTION

In a judgment dated 22.7.2013 in a writ petition filed by Whirlpool India Ltd. challenging the order of EPF Authority under section 7-A of the Employees Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act (hereinafter referred to as the Act) wherein it has been held that the canteen allowance of Rs.300 per month being paid to employees out of settlement dated 13.10.1995 will be basic wages to attract EPF contributions. The petitioner filed an unsuccessful appeal before the EPF Appellate Tribunal against the order dated 28.7.1999 which was dismissed by the Tribunal by order dated 27.12.1999. The petitioner filed a writ petition before the High Court challenging the order under section 7-A of the Act as well as that of the EPF Appellate Tribunal. While dismissing the writ petition, as filed by the petitioner, the High Court referred the Gujarat High Court judgment in Gujarat Cycromet Ltd. (2004 III CLR 485) wherein it has been held that except HRA, all the allowances will be treated as basic wages for attracting contribution. The High Court relied upon the landmark judgment of Bridge & Roof Co. Ltd. (5 FLR 423) wherein it has been held that whatever allowances are payable to all the permanent employees would be included in the definition of basic wages and those which are not paid/payable to all employees are excluded there-from. The whole judgment is not being reported keeping in view that the Supreme Court judgment for clarification of allowances, which was fixed in the month of September, will now be heard in the month of October, 2013.

6 MONTHS JAIL FOR LIBERTY SHOES DIRECTOR

In a complaint, filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Karnal (Haryana), the workers through their advocate, Mr. Dalip Chandna, alleged that the Liberty Enterprises has adopted unfair labour practice by closing down the factory at Gharounda in November 2008 and instead of obtaining prior permission from the Labour Authorities, as stipulated by section 25-O of the Industrial Disputes Act (when 100 or more workers are employed), transferred the workers to three isolated locations where no manufacturing plants existed. They were made to mark attendance in open fields and most of them were forced to quit after. By an order dated 19.10.2013, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Amit Kumar passed the order against Adarsh Gupta owner of Liberty Enterprises and sentenced him to six months imprisonment.