Lok Sabha Question No. 2808 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-07
Subject: Flexi Working Hours for Women
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Bhola Singh, Vinod Kumar Sonkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2808

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2023

## FLEXI WORKING HOURS FOR WOMEN

2808. SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA):

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)whether  there  is  a  need  of  flexi  working  hours  for  women  to increase their participation in workforce;
- (b)if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether the Government is considering the need for flexi working hours for women in compliance of Prime Minister's vision, if so,
- the details thereof; and
- (d)other  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase  the
- participation of women in work force?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

- (a) to (d): The Government has taken several initiatives to enhance the women's labour force participation. The existing labour laws have specific provisions relating to women workers besides all other rights under labour laws which inter-alia, include:
- (i) The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 provides that there shall be no discrimination  in  an  establishment  or  any  unit  thereof  among employees on the ground of gender in matters relating to wages by the same employer, in respect of the same work or work of similar nature done by any employee. The Act also prevents discrimination against women while making recruitment for the same work or work of  similar  nature,  or  in  any  condition  of  service  subsequent  to recruitment such as promotion, training or transfer.

- (ii) The Maternity Benefit Act, as amended in 2017, provides the paid maternity  leave  from  12  weeks  to  26  weeks  for  two  surviving children.  It  also  has  enabled  provision  of  'Work  from  Home',  after availing of the maternity benefit by the woman, subject to certain conditions.
- (iii) Under Mines Act 1952, the Government allowed the employment of  women in  the  aboveground  mines  including  opencast  workings between 7 PM and 6 AM and in below ground mines working between 6 AM and 7 PM in technical, supervisory and managerial work where continuous presence may not be required.

The Government has enacted the four Labour Codes, namely, the Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020, and the Occupational Safety, Health and  Working  Conditions  Code,  2020,  which  inter  alia  promote participation of women in workforce in a dignified manner through a number of provisions, some of which are as follows:

- (i) No discrimination on the ground of gender in matters relating to wages, recruitment and in the conditions of employment,
- (ii) Women are entitled to be employed in all establishments for all types of work even before 6 AM and beyond 7 PM subject to their consent and other adequate safety measures.

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