S Tahir-ul Haq
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, May 31: Despite issuance of an advisory from the Government of India, a Skill development firm terminated its eight employees in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district without prior intimation. The termination has not only deepened the crisis but has also demoralized these people during the present pandemic.
“On March 20, the company sent a message and gave directions to its employees on their official WhatsApp group, to work from their homes,” said Zahoor Ahmad of Tanghdar.
He said that they are 8 employees and were working with the company since 2018. The company’s center was at Tanghdar Karnah. “We were regular and our attendance on ERP online portal has been recorded till March 31,” he added.
Another employee said that, on 2nd April when they tried to login for ERP attendance it showed that 21 March was our last working day. “We were shocked,” they said.
Without intimation mail, how have they terminated us and that too in this pandemic situation? It violates the corporate law, said Zahoor Ahmad.
The company is a skill development firm under the Pradhan Mantri Koshal Vikas Yojuna (PMKVY).
Meanwhile, an advisory from Joint Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India New Delhi was issued to all Employers Association vide their D O No: M-11011/08/2020-Media, dated March 20, 2020.
The advisory said that, the world is facing a catastrophic situation due to outbreak of COVID-19 and in order to combat this challenge, coordinated joint efforts of all sections of the society are required.
In view of the above, there may be incidence that employees/workers services are dispensed with on this pretext or the employees/workers are forced to go on leave without wage/salaries, said advisory.
In the backdrop of such challenging situation, all the employers of Public/Private Establishment are advised 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. 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 on duty.
Advisory further said that, the termination of employees from the job or reduction in wages in this scenario would further deepen the crises and will not only weaken the financial condition of the employee but also hamper their morale to combat their fight with this epidemic.
In view of this, you are requested to circulate this advisory to the Employers/Owners of all the establishments registered with your association for compliance, said an advisory. |
