HOSPITALS VIOLATING LABOUR LAWS

HOSPITALS VIOLATING LABOUR LAWS


   The Labour Department has found many private hospitls in the Kerala state guilty of violating labour laws, including on-payment of minimum wages. Labour and civil supplies Minister Shibu Baby John said that none of the 362 hospitals that were inspected by the departments squads had observed labour laws affecting 40,718 employees. of the 362 hospitals,338 establishments did not pay allow leave under the Kerala Industrial Establishment( National and Festival Holiday Act" and 298 establishments did not pay overtime wages to  staff members. The 23 Hospitals that paid minimum wages were small establishments employing less than 20 staff.
   The inspections were conducted under the Kerala shops and commercial Establishment Act,Maternity Benefit Act,Kerala Industrial Establishment (National and Festival Holidays Act),and the Motor Transport workers Act. In some hospitals,minimum wages were paid to certain categories of employees. The Minister said that the department would initate prosecution against the erring hospitals after providing times to file claim petitions. The Minister said that the inspections,which had covered 70 percent of the hospitals in the state ,would continue in the coming days.

                                                                          Prof. John Kurakar