Delhi govt mandates registration of domestic help

New Delhi: The Delhi government has mandated that all placement agencies providing domestic help services must register with the government, warning of a Rs 50,000 penalty for violations, officials said on Saturday.

According to a public notice issued by the labour department, every private placement agency offering domestic workers must register on the e-District portal and obtain a license within 15 days.

The registration application must include mandatory police verification for both the domestic worker and the employer, the notice said further.

"Non-compliance of the provisions of executive order dated September 25, 2014 will attract penalty of Rs 50,000 (recoverable as arrears of land revenue), cancellation of registration and license, and prosecution," the official order read.

The 2014 executive order was issued by the labour department for the regulation of private placement agencies, according to a Delhi High Court order.

The notice urges all private placement agencies to obtain their registration and licenses immediately and to refrain from operating without them. Agencies must follow the standard operating procedures to avoid legal consequences.

Employers hiring domestic workers are also advised to ensure that they are sourced from registered agencies. It is crucial to verify the agency's registration and license and to insist on police verification of the workers before hiring them, the notice stated.

The labour department has notified the Delhi Private Placement Agencies (Regulation) Order, in compliance with the orders of the high court. The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was also approved by it in 2020.

The court has also directed the government to prevent exploitation of domestic workers employed through private placement agencies in Delhi. According to the executive order, a domestic worker is defined as a person aged 18 or older who is engaged in domestic work through a private placement agency.

The term "private placement agency" refers to individuals or organisations, excluding government agencies, that provide domestic workers to residences, according to the notice.

The order outlines the working conditions and placement methods for domestic helpers. It specifies that payments for domestic workers must be made through bank accounts. The order also mandates registration for agencies and imposes a Rs 50,000 fine for those that do not register.

Furthermore, the order grants adjudication powers to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to address issues related to the employment of women and children as domestic help.