Equal Remuneration Act, 1976
Equal Remuneration Act, 1976
Equal Remuneration Act, 1976
INTRODUCTION
The principle of equal work to men and women worker has been gaining increasing acceptance all over the world. In many countries, law have been passed prohibiting discrimination between men and women in matters relating to payment of wages for similar work. The State Policy article 39 of the Constitution envisages that the State shall direct its policy, among other things, towards securing that there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women. The International Womens Year, President of India promulgated the Equal Remuneration Ordinance, 1975 on 26th September, 1975 to provide for the payment of equal remuneration to men and women workers
Cont..
Article 39(a) states that the citizens, men and women, equally, have the right to an adequate means of livelihood. Article 39(d) that there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women. Article 16(2) makes a specific mention that no citizen shall on ground only of .sex be ineligible for or discrimination against in respect of any employment or office under state.
(a) Appropriate Government means (i) in relation to any employment carried on by or under the authority of the Central Government or a railway administration, or in relation to a banking company, a mine, oilfield or major port or any corporation established by or under a Central Act, the Central Government, and (ii) In relation to any other employment, the State Government; (b) Commencement of this Act means, in relation to an establishment or employment, the date on which this Act comes into force in respect of that establishment or employment; (c) Employer has the meaning assigned to it in clause (f) of Section 2 of the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 (39 of 1972); (d) Man and woman mean male and female human beings, respectively, of any Age; (e) Notification means a notification published in the Official Gazette; (f) Prescribed means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (g) Remuneration means the basic wage or salary, and any additional emoluments whatsoever payable, either in cash or in kind, to a person employed in respect of employment or work done in such employment, if the terms of the contract of employment, express or implied, were fulfilled;
(h) Same work or work of a similar nature means work in respect of which the skill, effort and responsibility required are the same, when performed under similar working conditions, by a man or a woman and the differences, if any, between the skill, effort and responsibility required of a man and those required of a woman are not of practical importance in relation to the terms and conditions of employment
(i) Worker means a worker in any establishment or employment in respect of which this Act has come into force; (j) Words and expressions used in this Act and not defined but defined in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (14 of 1947), shall have the meaning respectively assigned to them that act. An act to provide for the payment of equal remuneration to men and women workers and for the prevention of discrimination, on the ground of sex, against women in the matter of employment and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
The appropriate Government may, by notification, appoint such officers, not below the rank of a Labour Officer, as it thinks fit to be the authorities for the purpose of hearing and deciding