Haryana Bill providing job security to over 1 lakh contractual employees to be tabled today: Who will be eligible, how much will they get

For the purposes of calculation of the number of years of engagement, a contractual employee who has received remuneration for at least 240 days in a calendar year will be deemed to have worked for the entire year, but will not include an employee who – (i) has been engaged under Centrally Sponsored Schemes paid in part or full by the central government; or (ii) has been engaged on honorarium basis; or (iii) has been paid remuneration for service rendered on a part time basis by the government organisation; or (iv) has attained the age of fifty-eight years on the appointed date; or (v) has been terminated or removed by the appropriate authority on or before the date of commencement of this Act. The eligible contractual employee shall continue to work in the government organisation till he attains the age of superannuation.

Which organisations are covered?

“Government organisation” means a department, board, corporation or authority under which the eligible contractual employee was working on the date of the commencement of this Act.

What will be the remuneration?

The eligible contractual employee shall receive a consolidated monthly remuneration “equal to the entry pay in the pay level of the corresponding post along with additional remuneration as specified in the First Schedule based on the year of service rendered in the government organisation. The consolidated monthly remuneration including the additional remuneration specified in the First Schedule shall not be less than the remuneration drawn by the eligible contractual employee on the appointed date. The consolidated monthly remuneration shall be increased with effect from the first day of January and the first day of July every year corresponding to the increase in DA. The government may notify an increment on the consolidated monthly remuneration on the completion of the first year from the date of commencement of this Act and every year thereafter.

What will be the government’s powers to implement this Act?

The Bill’s draft reads – “If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the government may, by an order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as may appear to it to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of removing the difficulty. However, no order shall be made under this Section after expiry of two years from the date of commencement of this Act. Every order made under this section shall, as soon as may be after it is made, be laid before the State Legislature. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against the Government or any officer or employee of the Government or any other person or authority authorized by the Government for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or of any rules or orders made thereunder”.

What will be be the additional remuneration and how will it be calculated?

The additional remuneration given to these employees shall be calculated on the number of years for which they had been working with the state government. According to the Bill’s draft – for over 10 years of service – 15 per cent of entry pay in the pay level shall be considered as additional remuneration. For 8-10 years, it shall be 10 per cent of entry pay; for 5-8 years, it shall be five per cent of the entry pay. The employees shall also receive healthcare benefits as notified under Pradhan Mantri-Jan Aarogya Yojna (PM-JAY) CHIRAYU Extension Scheme or as revised by the Government. They will also receive death-cum-retirement gratuity, maternity benefits and benefit of ex-gratia compassionate financial assistance or compassionate appointment in Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam in accordance with such policy as may be notified by the government.