Violation of labour norms to invite stricter punishment

New Delhi: Violation of labour norms in the national capital will attract stringent punishment like higher fines and imprisonment, Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday, as he introduced a bill which provided several new rules for welfare of workers.

Tabling the Minimum Wages (Delhi) Amendment Bill 2015 in the Assembly here, Rai said that the employer will pay their employee for every hour or for part of an hour so worked in excess at the overtime rate fixed under proposed Act which shall not be less than two times of the normal rate of wages.

"During the pendency of the proceeding or inquiry in the application preferred by the workman under Sub-Section (2), the workman shall not be retrenched, dismissed, terminated or laid-off without the prior approval of the Authority before whom the application is pending," the Minister said in the Assembly.

The proposed Bill has also recommended imprisonment of up to three years and penalty amounting Rs 50,000 for violators.

Under the proposed amendments in the Act, companies will have to upload the data of their employees on website or web portal in the manner as may be prescribed by the Delhi government.