Don’t cut salaries or sack employees, Haryana issues advisory to industries

The Industries and Commerce department of Haryana on Saturday issued an advisory, urging all the private and public enterprises not to sack workers or deduct their salaries during the lockdown period. 

As per the advisory, industries need to stand by their workers as the present scenario demands a lot of understanding and cooperation from various segments of the society to fight against the pandemic. At this point, laying off employees or salary cuts will further worsen the situation.

“In the backdrop of this challenging situation, all the employers of public/private establishments are to be advised by joint director/assistant director, district industries centres and deputy/assistant labour commissioner, district labour offices to extend their cooperation by not terminating their employees, particularly casual or contractual workers from their jobs or reduce their wages,” the advisory said.

The advisory also mentions that if any worker takes leave, he should be deemed to be on duty without any consequential deduction in wages.

“Further, if the place of employment is rendered out of operation due to Covid-19, the employees of such units will be deemed to be on duty,” said the , and pointed out that an advisory in this matter issued by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Earlier, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had asked all private industries not to sack employees for their absence during the lockdown in the state.

“The instances of this kind should be compiled and brought to the notice of the state government immediately for further necessary action,” as per the advisory.

Earlier, the Modi government has also urged all public and private companies to ensure that they do not cut salaries of their staff or resort to layoffs of their employees amid the lockdown imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19.