60% Kannada Nameboard Amendment

The Government of Karnataka vide Gazette Notification No.7/2024 dated 26-Feb-2024, notified the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Act, 2024. Inter alia, Section 17(6) of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act, 2022 is substituted wherein the name boards of Commercial, Industrial and Business Undertakings, Trusts, Counselling Centre’s, Hospitals, Laboratories, Amusement centres and Hotels etc., functioning with the approval and sanction of the Government or Local Authorities, shall ensure that their name board displays 60% in Kannada language and Kannada shall be displayed in the upper half of the name board. The other compliance applicable for private establishments in Karnataka are:

• Name and designation of the officers inside the office should be in Kannada;
• Establishment with 100 or more employees should have a “Kannada Cell” headed by a senior employee and a “Kannada Kalika Ghataka” (or basic Kannada Teaching Unit) for non-Kannada speaking employees;
• As far as possible all the Industrial and other consumer products manufactured within and sold in the State shall bear the product name and direction for use, if any, in Kannada apart from any other language.

The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act, 2022 also defines a Kannadiga as a person or his parents residing in Karnataka for 15 years and know Kannada to read/write.

Minimum Wages Notifications in Karnataka & other States

Karnataka Law Journal Publications has published the minimum wages for various scheduled employment with effect from 01-Apr-24 to 31-03-25.

The Government of Haryana vide circular No. IRO-2/2024/5377-522 dated 22-Feb-2024, notified minimum wages for various scheduled employment with effect from 01-Jan-24.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh vide Letter No. 2429-32/IRD-2024(M.B.E.G) dated 15-Feb-2024, notified minimum rates of wages for all categories of workers employed in engineering factories employing 50 or more workers in the State with effect from 01-Feb-2024 to 01-Jul-2024.

Office of Development Commissioner SEEPZ, Mumbai vide Circular No./Lab/05/2024 dated 19-Feb-2024, notified minimum wages and special allowance applicable in SEEPZ for Electronics, Gems and Jewellery Sector with effect from 01-Jan-2024.

The Government of Assam vide notification No.I/437748/2024 dated 07-Feb-2024, notified revision of VDA and minimum wages for contract workers/ labourers under the Contract Labour Act, 1970 with effect from 01-Jul-2023.

he Government of Uttarakhand vide notification No. 301/4-01/07 dated 05-Feb-2024, notified the minimum wages for Engineering Industry with effect from 01-Feb-2024 to 31-Jul-2024.

The Government of Maharashtra, Pune District Security Guard Board, vide Order dated 05-Feb-2024, notified basic basic rates of wages including variable dearness allowance effective from 01-Jan-2024.

The Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai and Thane District Security Guard Board, vide Order dated 05-Feb-2024, notified basic rates of wages including variable dearness allowance effective from 01-Jan-2024.

Assam Shops permitted to remain open 24×7 during holiday season

The Government of Assam vide notification No.E.264949/244 dated 12-Jan-2024, notified that Shops and Establishments can remain open 24×7 (without limit on working hours or weekly holiday) for twelve holiday seasons spread over 70 days, subject to condition that the employees shall be paid compensation for overtime work and for work on weekly off days by employers concerned.

ESIC Circular on e-Pehchaan card

ESIC has directed vide circular No. I-11012/8/2021-ICT dated 05-Feb-2024, notified to issue suitable to directions to all employers, that the e-Pehchaan card must be given to all insured persons immediately after registration, and also ensure that hard copy of e-Pehchaan Card must be given to all existing insured persons.

Gujarat Exemption for 2 years to IT enabled Services under Shops Act

Government of Gujarat vide Notification No. GHR/2024/19 dated 05-Feb-2024, notified that Section 12 relating to working hours/weekly off and Section 14 relating to spread-over of work hours under the Gujarat Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2019 will not be applicable to the establishment of IT related services, IT enabled services and financial services for a period of two years.

EPF Online Joint Declaration User Manual for Members

Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) on 20-Feb-2024 released the user manual for online joint declaration. Member logins in using UAN and clicks on Joint Declaration on Manage Tab and gets details of particular PF account number and upload of documents with respect to change in name, address etc. Members will be prompted to provide aadhaar OTP for submission of details. Upon acceptance by employer, the status gets updated for field office to proceed who can process it as approved or rejected.

EPF SSA with Brazil

EPFO vide Circular No.IWU-1109 dated 13-Feb-2024, notified the social security agreement (SSA)between Republic of India and Federative Republic of Brazil with effect from 01-Jan-2024, by availing certificate of coverage which provides exemption from coverage of social security benefits for a period of 36 months to employees deputed by employers in the country which are parties to the agreement.

Ladakh Disabilities Rules 2024

Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh vide Notification dated 05-Feb-2024, notified the Ladakh Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2024, providing an online portal for disabled persons to get a certificate of disability i.e., http://www.swavlambancard.gov.in/ and the certificate of disability will also be made available on the same portal.

ESIC enhances rate of permanent disability benefit

ESI Corporation vide Notification No. R-12/16/9/2022-Policy-BFT-II dated 05-Feb-2024, enhanced the disability benefit effective from 01-Aug-2022 onwards.

Draft Amendment Bill to amend POSH to extend period of limitation for filing complaint

Rajya Sabha vide Bill No.1/2017 dated 02-Feb-2024, passed the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Amendment Bill, 2024 to amend the existing limitation period of filing complaint from three months to one year.

COMPLIANCES FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2024

Bizprout Updates : March 2024