The Karnataka Domestic Workers’ Rights Union has urged the State government to strengthen the proposed Domestic Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2025, calling it a historic and progressive step, but warning that major procedural and substantive gaps could take over its effectiveness.
At a meeting held to collect responses from stakeholders in J.P. Nagar on Saturday, the union commended the Karnataka Labour Department for becoming the first in India to draft a comprehensive law for domestic workers and said that Karnataka now carries the significant responsibility of ensuring that the legislation is well thought out and centred on workers’ rights.
Raising concerns, the union said only the English version of the Bill has been released so far and no Kannada version is available. Most domestic workers have not studied English, the union said, which makes it impossible for them to read or respond to the draft. It urged the government to immediately release a Kannada version of the Bill and extend the consultation period by another 30 days so that workers and unions can give their feedback.
The letter also pointed out that the title of the Bill does not clearly mention protection of domestic workers’ working conditions. It recommended that the title should be changed to reflect that this is a rights-based legislation and to give clarity about its purpose. The union also said the definition of forced labour in the Bill needs to be rewritten to include cases where people are made to work for no pay or below minimum wages, as well as trafficking and bonded labour.
It further asked that the definition of ‘child’ should match the one in the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, which defines a child as anyone below 14 years. The definition of ‘adolescent’ should also be consistent, it said.
The union said the Bill must make it clear that employers, not workers, should be responsible for the registration of domestic workers. This is important for those who are illiterate or migrant workers. If the employer fails to register a worker within a fixed time, there should be a backup system so that workers can register themselves.
It opposed the Bill’s proposal that workers must renew their registration every three years. This, the union said, will burden workers and may lead to denial of benefits. Instead, employers should update the worker’s employment 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 on the app or portal.
The letter said working condition provisions in the Bill are vague and must be rewritten. It recommended an eight-hour daily and 48-hour weekly limit with overtime pay, four weekly holidays, 15 days of sick and 15 days of annual leave, and one month’s bonus. Minimum wages should be fixed for both live-in and part-time workers, based on the Reptakos Brett principles, and there should be a 10% annual wage increment.
The union added that social security benefits should be clearly listed with special protection for workers above 55 years. It also sought detailed standards for live-in workers’ accommodation and healthcare, as per ILO norms. The letter further asked the government to clarify who will serve on the proposed Domestic Workers’ Welfare Board and whether all ESI Act provisions will apply to domestic workers.
Published – November 08, 2025 07:10 pm IST
